madeleine
n. countablen. a small, shell-shaped cake from France that is soft and buttery. It is famous for how its smell or taste can suddenly bring back a strong memory from your past.
n. a small, traditional French sponge cake baked in a shell-shaped mould. Often used metaphorically to refer to a sensory experience that triggers a powerful, involuntary surge of memory.
She dipped her madeleine into the tea just like she did as a child.
The bakery's window was filled with golden madeleines, their distinct shell patterns dusted lightly with sugar.
For many readers, the madeleine serves as the ultimate literary symbol for the way a simple taste can unlock years of forgotten childhood experiences.
From French Madeleine. Doublet of Magdalene.
When used metaphorically to describe a memory trigger, it is often capitalised in reference to Marcel Proust's literature.