reminiscent
Americanadjective
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awakening memories of something similar; suggestive (usually followed by of).
His style of writing is reminiscent of Melville's.
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characterized by or of the nature of reminiscence.
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given to reminiscence.
a reminiscent old sailor.
adjective
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stimulating memories (of) or comparisons (with)
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characterized by reminiscence
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(of a person) given to reminiscing
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reminiscent
First recorded in 1755–65; from Latin reminiscent-, stem of reminiscēns “remembering,” present participle of reminiscī “to remember,” from re- re- + -miniscī (akin to mēns “mind”; mind )
Explanation
If your uncle tells you that your outfit is reminiscent of the way your mother dressed when she was young, it means your clothes remind him of your mother. Hopefully that doesn't mean your mother is still dressing you. Reminiscent traces back to the Latin for "remember." If a house is reminiscent of your childhood home, it makes you remember your childhood home. Reminiscent can have a good or bad implication. If you tell someone that her paintings are reminiscent of a chimp's finger paintings, obviously that's not so good. But if you tell her that they're reminiscent of Dali, well that might be better.
Vocabulary lists containing reminiscent
Beloved
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100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
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David Bowie (1947-2016) Tribute List
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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.
Reminiscent of London’s Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, the scale of loss is among the worst in Hong Kong in recent memory, leaving entire families displaced or grieving.
From Salon • Nov. 28, 2025
Reminiscent of Bjork and Enya, its overlapping folk harmonies are based on traditional Latvian wedding songs, making it one of this year's most captivating entries.
From BBC • May 9, 2025
Reminiscent of the headiest days of Sundance, an all-night bidding war ended with Searchlight Pictures’ acquiring Jesse Eisenberg’s film “A Real Pain,” in which he stars opposite Kieran Culkin, for $10 million.
From New York Times • Jan. 29, 2024
Reminiscent of an idyllic village on the Mediterranean, with pops of vintage California, this colorful little beach town on the northeast shore of Monterey Bay amuses him every time he swings by.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 22, 2023
THE acrid scents of autumn, Reminiscent of slinking beasts, make me fear Everything, tear-trembling stars of autumn And the snore of the night in my ear.
From Amores Poems by Lawrence, D. H. (David Herbert)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
