memento mori

[muh-men-toh mawr-ahy, mohr-ahy, mawr-ee, mohr-ee, me-men-toh moh-ree]

noun

plural

memento mori 

1. (italics),  remember that you must die.

2. an object, as a skull, serving as a reminder of death or mortality.

memento mori

/ ˈmɔːriː /

noun

1. an object, such as a skull, intended to remind people of the inevitability of death

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento mori¹

First recorded in 1585–95, memento mori is from Latin mementō morī

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento mori¹

C16: Latin: remember you must die

Related Words

• warning 

When To Use

What does memento mori mean?

Memento mori is a Latin phrase that translates to "remember you must die."A memento mori is something, historically a skull, that serves as a reminder of death and mortality.