Ma'anar ƙamus na "amsar anamnestic" tana nufin ikon tsarin garkuwar jiki don ganewa da kuma saurin amsawa ga ƙwayoyin cuta da jiki ya taɓa fuskanta a baya. Lokacin da jiki ya fallasa zuwa antigen (kayan waje) a karon farko, yana ɗaukar ɗan lokaci don tsarin rigakafi don haɓaka amsa mai tasiri. Duk da haka, bayan bayyanar da antigen guda ɗaya, tsarin rigakafi zai iya samar da amsa mai ƙarfi da sauri, saboda ƙwaƙwalwar ajiyar farko. Wannan al'amari ana kiransa da amsawar anamnestic, kuma abu ne mai mahimmanci na kariyar garkuwar jiki daga cututtuka masu yawa.