memento mori

noun

me·​men·​to mo·​ri mə-ˈmen-tō-ˈmȯr-ē 

plural memento mori

: a reminder of mortality

especially : death's-head

Did you know?

Memento mori literally means "Remember you must die". The early Puritan settlers were particularly aware of death and fearful of what it might mean, so a Puritan tombstone will often display a memento mori intended for the living. These death's-heads or skulls may strike us as ghoulish, but they helped keep the living on the straight and narrow for fear of eternal punishment. In earlier centuries, an educated European might place an actual skull on his desk to keep the idea of death always present in his mind.

Examples of memento mori in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dark Souls is not just an immensely popular action game but also an intricate, interactive memento mori: prepare to die is more than a taunt. —Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

In the aftermath, the pungent fruit lies abandoned in a corner, a distinctly Asian memento mori. —Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 15 Apr. 2024

For all their sparkle, eclipses are ultimately a memento mori, inspiring us to absorb as much wonder as possible before our time on Earth winks out. —Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 21 Mar. 2024

Past creations include the Tambour Opera Automaton, with a traditional Chinese opera mask and a moving dragon’s head, and the Tambour Carpe Diem, a memento mori piece featuring a skull and a serpent. —Carol Besler, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin, remember that you must die

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above