remembrance

American  

[ri-mem-bruhns] / rɪˈmɛm brəns /

noun

• remembrances
  plural

1. a retained mental impression; memory.

   Synonyms:

   reminiscence, recollection

2. the act or fact of remembering.

3. the power or faculty of remembering.

   Synonyms:

   memory

4. the length of time over which recollection or memory extends.

5. the state of being remembered; commemoration.

   to hold someone's name in remembrance.

6. something that serves to bring to mind or keep in mind some place, person, event, etc.; memento.

   Synonyms:

   memorial, token, souvenir, trophy, keepsake

7. a gift given as a token of love or friendship.

   I sent her a small remembrance on Mother's Day.

8. remembrances, greetings; respects.

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remembrance British  

/ rɪˈmɛmbrəns /

noun

1. the act of remembering or state of being remembered

2. something that is remembered; reminiscence

3. a memento or keepsake

4. the extent in time of one's power of recollection

5. 1. the act of honouring some past event, person, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a remembrance service

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonremembrance
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• remembrances
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of remembrance

1300–50; Middle English < Old French; see remember, -ance

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Explanation

Remembrance is when someone remembers things — your grandfather might have uncanny remembrance of his childhood, for example. The noun remembrance is really just another way to say "memory." It's the process of remembering things that happened in the past. In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," the character of Ophelia famously says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." The smell of the herb has actually been shown to improve memory, and has historically been a symbol of remembrance. Early uses of remembrance had the meaning "keepsake or souvenir."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

remembrance remembrances

White lilies are said to represent peace and are a traditional choice for acts of remembrance in the UK, says botanist James Wong of BBC Gardeners' Question Time.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

Year: 2018 Compiled by: Slate Staff Of note: Assigned in remembrance of SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg, who’d died that year at the age of 57.

From Slate ● Oct. 7, 2026

These notable achievements were coupled with moments of remembrance for legendary actors and creators, like Dolly Parton, Rob Reiner and Catherine O’Hara, among many others.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026

But its dominant impression is a dark one that allows for little consolation in the remembrance of war.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Claudia was lost in remembrance of the beautiful angel she had seen.

From "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" by E.L. Konigsburg

The worldwide exclusive is here for you to enjoy, and it’s hardly the milk-and-cookies remembrances of some CEO memoirs past.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

“The Boys of Dungeon Lane” begins with “As You Lie There,” his fond remembrances about a schoolboy crush.

From Salon ● May 12, 2026

Savannah also shared a photo on Instagram of yellow flowers from the growing memorial with remembrances by neighbors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 3, 2026

He launches a passionate defence of preserving remembrances of the past, even if that past is "problematic" as a way of "ensuring public memory of its injustice".

From BBC ● Dec. 29, 2025

Nothing came—no answers, no remembrances, no insights— only the choking white waves of the fog.

From "Tangerine" by Edward Bloor

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Related Words

• commemoration
• memento
• memorial
• reminder

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