mnemonic
Americanadjective
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assisting or intended to assist the memory.
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pertaining to mnemonics or to memory.
noun
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something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula.
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Computers. a programming code that is easy to remember, as STO for “store.”
adjective
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aiding or meant to aid one's memory
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of or relating to memory or mnemonics
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of mnemonic
1660–70; < Greek mnēmonikós of, relating to memory, equivalent to mnēmon- (stem of mnḗmōn ) mindful + -ikos -ic
Explanation
A mnemonic is a memory aid for something, often taking the form of a rhyme or an acronym. I before E except after C, is a mnemonic to help you remember how to spell words like "piece" and "receive." As an adjective, mnemonic describes something related to memory. "Spring forward, Fall back" is a mnemonic device to help you remember which way to set your clocks for daylight savings time. Set the clock forward an hour in the spring when daylight savings time begins, and set the clock back an hour in the fall when it ends. Well-known mnemonics exist to help you remember things like the planets, the digits of Pi, and the color spectrum.
Vocabulary lists containing mnemonic
Grade 10, List 1
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The Silent Treatment: Words Plagued by Silent Letters
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National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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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.
See Examples For:
His central metaphor is the memory palace, an ancient Greek mnemonic technique that employs spatial imagination to organize and access information.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
For the uninitiated, this saying is a mnemonic device that helps Seattleites remember the names and order of the city’s streets.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 6, 2023
The most popular teachers drill facts and figures into their students with jokes and mnemonic songs they make up themselves.
From New York Times ● Aug. 6, 2023
Safe sleep practices can be summed up in an easy mnemonic: Parents only need to remember ABC: alone, back, crib, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2023
There are lots of other mnemonic devices, too.
From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy
Cognitive science shows that mnemonics help memory, distinctive voice draws attention and a sense of joy strengthens retention.
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2025
Out of desperation, Mr. Lorayne discovered some library books on memory training and mnemonics, the system of using mental cues to aid memory.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2023
Being a geo-geek, I sometimes mutter the mnemonics of the ICS as I cycle to work, trying to get the sequences straight: Cows Often Sit Down Carefully.
From The Guardian ● Apr. 1, 2016
Before exams, he would fill a little book with colorful diagrams and mnemonics.
From New York Times ● Oct. 9, 2015
Here are some of the most popular mnemonics used.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
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.
