memento
noun
Libby Lubin
Did you know?
In Latin, memento is the imperative form (meaning it is used as a command) of meminisse, a verb that means “to remember.” (The term memento mori, which refers to a reminder of mortality, translates literally as “remember that you must die,” for example). The history of memento makes it clear where its spelling came from, but because a memento often helps one remember a particular moment, people occasionally spell the term momento. This is typically considered a misspelling, but it appears often enough in edited prose (including the work of such esteemed authors as George Eliot and Dylan Thomas) to have been entered in most dictionaries as an acceptable variant spelling.
Examples of memento in a Sentence
Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2025
Now, the book is on display for anyone to view with other mementos, kept in a locked case at the library in Toms River, WPVI reported.
—Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata, CNN, 8 Mar. 2025
Most of the butterfly mementos were gifts from fans.
—Alanna Nash, Variety, 4 Mar. 2025
Monica Vinader Deia Locket Fine Chain Necklace $238 Monica Vinader
Keep it old school with a locket for storing treasured mementos close to her heart.
—Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 24 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Memento.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memento. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
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memento
noun
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