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memorabilia

American  
[mem-er-uh-bil-ee-uh, -bil-yuh] / ˌmɛm ər əˈbɪl i ə, -ˈbɪl yə /

plural noun

  1. mementos; souvenirs.

  2. matters or events worthy to be remembered; points worthy of note.


memorabilia British  
/ ˌmɛmərəˈbɪlɪə /

plural noun

  1. memorable events or things

  2. objects connected with famous people or events

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of memorabilia

1800–10; noun use of Latin memorābilia things to be remembered, neuter plural of memorābilis memorable

Explanation

The noun memorabilia describes items that remind you of a certain event or time period. Parents who save every drawing and report card their children bring home are collecting memorabilia for the future. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt? That t-shirt is memorabilia. Memorabilia refers to anything that commemorates an event. It shows you were there — you have the t-shirt to prove it. But t-shirts didn't even exist in 1806, the year memorabilia was coined from the Latin word memorare, meaning "to bring to mind." You save memorabilia to help you remember, or jog your memory.

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"MEMORABILIA" shows the perspective of memory in a tribute to the poet Shelley.

From A Handbook to the Works of Browning (6th ed.) by Orr, Sutherland, Mrs.

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