reminiscent

American  

[rem-uh-nis-uhnt] / ˌrɛm əˈnɪs ənt /

adjective

1. awakening memories of something similar; suggestive (usually followed by of).

   His style of writing is reminiscent of Melville's.

2. characterized by or of the nature of reminiscence.

3. given to reminiscence.

   a reminiscent old sailor.

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reminiscent British  

/ ˌrɛmɪˈnɪsənt /

adjective

1. stimulating memories (of) or comparisons (with)

2. characterized by reminiscence

3. (of a person) given to reminiscing

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Other Word Forms

• reminiscently adverb
• unreminiscent adjective
• unreminiscently adverb

Etymology

Origin of reminiscent

First recorded in 1755–65; from Latin reminiscent-, stem of reminiscēns “remembering,” present participle of reminiscī “to remember,” from re- re- + -miniscī (akin to mēns “mind”; mind )

Explanation

If your uncle tells you that your outfit is reminiscent of the way your mother dressed when she was young, it means your clothes remind him of your mother. Hopefully that doesn't mean your mother is still dressing you. Reminiscent traces back to the Latin for "remember." If a house is reminiscent of your childhood home, it makes you remember your childhood home. Reminiscent can have a good or bad implication. If you tell someone that her paintings are reminiscent of a chimp's finger paintings, obviously that's not so good. But if you tell her that they're reminiscent of Dali, well that might be better.

Example Sentences

Jackson’s speech was in some ways reminiscent of—and provided a counterpoint to—a speech that Justice Samuel Alito gave in 2021 defending the court’s use of the emergency docket.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026

Looking back at reminiscent “think of the children” campaigns, a lot of the same playbooks are being used.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

The market timers’ eagerness to instead believe that the worst is over is more reminiscent of the “slope of hope” that markets slide down.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

The actor, 86, finds the revelation delightful, triggering a hint of whimsical glee reminiscent of Gandalf himself.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

This is reminiscent of Schooler’s experiments that I described in the Van Riper story, in which introspection destroyed people’s ability to solve insight problems.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Related Words

• evocative
• redolent
• similar