memento

[muh-men-toh]

noun

plural

mementos, mementoes 

1. an object or item that serves to remind one of a person, past event, etc.; keepsake; souvenir.

2. anything serving as a reminder or warning.

3. (initial capital letter, italics),  either of two prayers in the canon of the Mass, one for persons living and the other for persons dead.

memento

/ mɪˈmɛntəʊ /

noun

1. something that reminds one of past events; souvenir

2. RC Church either of two prayers occurring during the Mass

Spelling Note

Memento is sometimes spelled momento, perhaps by association with moment. The word is actually related to remember. One of its earliest meanings was “something that serves to warn.” The meaning “souvenir” is a recent development: The stone animal carvings are mementos of our trip to Victoria. Momento is considered by many to be a misspelling, but it occurs so frequently in edited writing that some regard it as a variant spelling rather than an error.

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento¹

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin mementō, imperative of meminisse to remember

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento¹

C15: from Latin, imperative of meminisse to remember

Example Sentences

Rahaf immediately set up what she called "a shrine" to her sister Sara, with photographs and mementoes, including her watch, carefully laid out on a bookcase.

From BBC

They postponed their cleanup several times, asking her father’s friends and contemporaries to help them scour the ashes for pieces of his artwork and other mementos.

From Los Angeles Times

Week two of “The Great British Bake Off” put the focus on biscuits as the bakers whipped up a dozen Hobnobs and showstopping memento time capsules.

From Salon

Since then, the couple have lived in a single-story Ojai home for 33 years, filling it with memories and mementos, including several Buddha statues from their travels.

From Los Angeles Times

Either way, these days smartphones allow us to take swift mementos.

From BBC

Related Words

• keepsake 
• relic 
• remembrance 
• reminder 
• token 
• trophy