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

Mr. Apatow includes memorabilia—marked-up scripts, magazine interviews—from virtually everything he’s worked on, and the reader’s pleasure comes from poring over cherished mementos from such a prolific, occasionally manic, life as a collaborative artist.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

“Finally, about a year ago, I opened a box in the attic of mementos from my children, their artwork, etc., and was just going through it and encountered his policy.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Each one is accented with diamond-encrusted doorknobs and serves as storage for multiple trinkets, mementos, and collector’s items.

Read more on Literature

“Like, a memento. I should have grabbed something when I was at home, but I forgot. You need something to take back with you, right? A souvenir or something!”

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It is a chronicle, an accounting, a memento mori.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

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