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Which 17th-century scientist is the earliest recorded user of the word mnemonic?

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mnemonic

American  

[ni-mon-ik] / nɪˈmɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. assisting or intended to assist the memory.

2. pertaining to mnemonics or to memory.

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noun

• mnemonics
  plural

1. something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula.

2. Computers. a programming code that is easy to remember, as STO for “store.”

mnemonic British  

/ nɪˈmɒnɪk /

adjective

1. aiding or meant to aid one's memory

2. of or relating to memory or mnemonics

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noun

1. something, such as a verse, to assist memory

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• mnemonically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• mnemonics
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of mnemonic

1660–70; < Greek mnēmonikós of, relating to memory, equivalent to mnēmon- (stem of mnḗmōn ) mindful + -ikos -ic

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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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mnemonic mnemonics

The military teaches that the best way to do that involves another mnemonic, where each letter in the word “survival” refers to a set of actions designed to save the person’s life.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 5, 2026

I still remember some of the mnemonic tricks she used for some of the harder letters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 11, 2024

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

Lists are a mnemonic device, and the list I’m offering in this video discussion of the best films I’ve seen so far this year is, above all, a way of rescuing these films from oblivion.

From The New Yorker ● Jun. 9, 2023

I bet I’ll be the only person laughing in the classroom since Arthur’s ridiculous but super-helpful mnemonic devices will lead me to victory.

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

Decades ago, the company created mnemonics or shortcuts to help users find information on the terminal, such as WEI for world equity indexes.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Cognitive science shows that mnemonics help memory, distinctive voice draws attention and a sense of joy strengthens retention.

From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2025

He told The Washington Post that mnemonics and word association have “nothing to do with intelligence, only memory.”

From Washington Post ● Apr. 8, 2023

However, rhyme works well and mnemonics work well.

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2016

Here are some of the most popular mnemonics used.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

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