noun
verb
Etymology
Origin of souvenir
1765–75; < French, noun use of ( se ) souvenir to remember < Latin subvenīre to come to mind, equivalent to sub- sub- + venīre to come
Explanation
A souvenir is a keepsake or a remembrance. A telltale sign that someone has visited Paris is the tiny, metal Eiffel Tower hanging from her keychain as a souvenir. First recorded in 1775 as meaning “a remembrance or memory,” the noun souvenir stems from the French souvenir “to remember, come to mind.” A few years later, it took on the sense of “a token” of an event or experience. A song by Tears for Fears goes, “Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear.” Here, souvenir refers to a feeling, but more often it refers to something tangible, like a memento, gift, or trophy.
Vocabulary lists containing souvenir
Inside Out & Back Again
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Bronx Masquerade
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Mardi Gras: Fun
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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.
Restaurant terraces sit deserted, while souvenir, watersports and perfume vendors watch for the rare passerby.
From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026
Most domestic travelers won’t cancel trips due to a jump in gas prices, Elrod said, but they might borrow from their souvenir budget to cover additional fuel costs.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 9, 2026
Nick Smith Jr. placed his newest souvenir nonchalantly underneath the press conference table.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025
Amid amusing anecdotes in press conferences, leaping about on the touchline and chat about stealing tracksuits as a souvenir of his second spell at Parkhead, a ship that was heading for trouble was steadied.
From BBC • Dec. 14, 2025
“Do let me know if you misplace that precious souvenir again. I have eyes everywhere, all the time.”
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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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.