reminiscence

American  

[rem-uh-nis-uhns] / ˌrɛm əˈnɪs əns /

noun

1. the act or process of recalling past experiences, events, etc.

   Synonyms:

   recollection

2. a mental impression retained and revived.

   Synonyms:

   memory

3. Often reminiscences. a recollection narrated or told.

   reminiscences of an American soldier.

   Synonyms:

   memoir, tale, anecdote

4. something that recalls or suggests something else.

   Synonyms:

   reminder

5. (in Platonic philosophy) anamnesis.

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reminiscence British  

/ ˌrɛmɪˈnɪsəns /

noun

1. the act of recalling or narrating past experiences

2. (often plural) some past experience, event, etc, that is recalled or narrated; anecdote

3. an event, phenomenon, or experience that reminds one of something else

4. (in the philosophy of Plato) the doctrine that perception and recognition of particulars is possible because the mind has seen the universal forms of all things in a previous disembodied existence

5. psychol the ability to perform a task better when tested some time after the task has been learnt than when tested immediately after learning it

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Etymology

Origin of reminiscence

First recorded in 1580–90; from Middle French, from Late Latin reminiscentia, from reminiscent-, stem of reminiscēns “remembering” ( see reminiscent) + -ia -y ³ ( def. )

Explanation

A reminiscence is a memory, or the act of recovering it. A visit to your old elementary school may flood your brain with reminiscences––things you hadn't thought of in years coming suddenly back. Many people find that when they travel or have quiet time to think, their brain becomes occupied with reminiscence. You can see how close the word reminiscence is in meaning to the word remember––you might think of the word reminiscence as a remembering.

Example Sentences

That’s because the years from adolescence into early adulthood form what memory researchers call the reminiscence bump, when we forge our strongest musical memories.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

"At Walpole we spend our lives preserving the past for the education and enjoyment for the next generations and reminiscence for those of us who lived it," she added.

From BBC • Jan. 29, 2026

“The combined drop in the dollar, equities and Treasuries was a reminiscence of the ‘sell America’ days of last spring,” said Pesole at ING.

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

The mood you were in at the time of reminiscence left emotional fingerprints on the memory, as neurons activated by your mental environment synced up with those activated by the recollection.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 27, 2025

“We were eating leather from the seats and bows of saddles,’’ rims one all-too-typical reminiscence.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Related Words

• anecdote
• recollection
• remembrance