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
Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Mar. 2025
Commemorative Swag: Take home exclusive CNBC Pro LIVE merchandise as a memento of this unforgettable experience.
—John Melloy, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025
The kit includes everything a mom needs to create a lasting memento, including a beautiful frame.
—Nora Colomer, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025
The first stanza plunges into the picture, construing it both as a visual object and as the memento of a physical experience.
—A.o. Scott, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memento
Cite this Entry
“Memento.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memento. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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memento
noun
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