memo
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of memo
By shortening; see -o
Explanation
A memo is a written message. Your boss may send around a memo in your office warning employees to not spend so much time socializing by the water cooler and to get back to work. The intent of most memos is to help you remember something, or to remind another person of something. In a business or government setting, it's particularly important to keep written notes on decisions and communications between people. A written or emailed memo is one way to keep such a record. The word is short for memorandum, "thing to be recorded" in Latin, and a close linguistic relative of memory.
Vocabulary lists containing memo
Total Recall: Mem
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Part 3 Literary Terms (Unit 1)
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Part 3 Literary Terms (Unit 3)
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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 private memo sent from Dorothy Bain to First Minister John Swinney at the time sheds more light on that part of this tangled tale.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
In a companywide memo the day before the new tracking policy, Bosworth told employees that Meta is building toward a vision where agents primarily do the work.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
A leaked memo seen by the Herald newspaper suggested that the plans could include compulsory "P" plates and tougher drink‑drive rules for new drivers.
From BBC • May 25, 2026
There were reports that Hamilton had drafted a memo for his bosses titled “Abolishing FEMA.”
From Slate • May 21, 2026
Terryl's July 6 memo, and her ongoing persistence were causing a stir.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
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.
