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
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.
In response to this sort of incident, organisations like Mnemonic, a Berlin-based human rights organisation, have stepped in to archive footage before it disappears.
From BBC • May 31, 2023
Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie, a 1995 PC CD-ROM game, used full-motion video, and could have had the best digital Keanu of the decade, but cast Chris Gartin in Reeves’ role instead.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2019
You can check out hand-drawn sketches and notes to see how he fussed over seemingly trivial details, like the notches on Deckard’s keycard, or how the ATMs should look in Johnny Mnemonic.
From The Verge • Sep. 24, 2017
Psalms - Johnny Mnemonic Fiercely upfront and dizzyingly discordant, The Psalms have been shaking things up in the music scene here, with growing expectations on their upcoming debut album.
From The Guardian • Aug. 17, 2011
With an appendix "On the Mnemonic Origin and Nature of Affective Tendencies."
From A Mechanico-Physiological Theory of Organic Evolution by Nägeli, Carl Von
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.
