memento
Americannoun
plural
mementos, mementoes-
an object or item that serves to remind one of a person, past event, etc.; keepsake; souvenir.
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anything serving as a reminder or warning.
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(initial capital letter, italics) either of two prayers in the canon of the Mass, one for persons living and the other for persons dead.
noun
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something that reminds one of past events; souvenir
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RC Church either of two prayers occurring during the Mass
Spelling
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.
Etymology
Origin of memento
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin mementō, imperative of meminisse to remember
Explanation
A memento is a keepsake of something you want to remember. You may keep photographs as a memento of a great family reunion — except for that one photo where Aunt Bonnie is wearing the lampshade and singing "Respect." No one wants to remember that! Memento is a Latin imperative that ordered people to "Remember!" People love to keep mementos from all sorts of things, including weddings, births, concerts, trips, holidays, and even school. You should be careful not to bore people with your mementos, however. Not everyone wants to see the ribbon you wore in your hair at the homecoming game, and your 8,000 pictures of your trip to Paris (Illinois, not the one in France) might be a bit over the top.
Vocabulary lists containing memento
The Westing Game
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myPerspectives 9.1
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Musty Dusty Words for National Old Stuff Day
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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.
A couple, out for a stroll, asked an AFP journalist to take a photo of them, a memento of a nice date back on their island home.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
After dinner, I pass out little memento goodies such as honey, tea, candy or jams as party favors.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025
I grabbed one as a memento of my time here and also as a reminder of what’s happening with Latinos right now.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 8, 2025
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 • Sep. 19, 2025
My life is like a memento mori painting from European art: there is always a grinning skull at my side to remind me of the folly of human ambition.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
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.
