reminiscence

noun

rem·​i·​nis·​cence ˌre-mə-ˈni-sᵊn(t)s 

1

: apprehension of a Platonic idea as if it had been known in a previous existence

2

a

: recall to mind of a long-forgotten experience or fact

b

: the process or practice of thinking or telling about past experiences

3

a

: a remembered experience

b

: an account of a memorable experience

—often used in plural

4

: something so like another as to be regarded as an unconscious repetition, imitation, or survival

Synonyms

• anamnesis
• memory
• recall
• recollection
• remembrance

Choose the Right Synonym for reminiscence

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered.

memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered.

gifted with a remarkable memory

that incident was now just a distant memory

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples of reminiscence in a Sentence

his reminiscences about the war were painful to hear

we wondered whether she could trust her reminiscence of events that happened so long ago

Recent Examples on the Web

In a novel stuffed with reminiscences of past relationships, regret is startlingly absent. —Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 5 Mar. 2025

In addition to our regular news coverage, our final edition includes reminiscences from current staff members on A4, in addition to Part 2 of a newspaper history written by McLeod County Museum Director Brian Haines, which appears on B1. —Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025

Those seemingly muted details about her rich personality come from Marcelo Paiva’s intimate reminiscences about his mother and the Paivas’ collective experience in the aftermath of Rubens’ disappearance, expertly adapted by screenwriters Murilo Hauser and Heitor Lorega. —Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 17 Jan. 2025

As Pete recalls events that happened to him, to people around him or to relatives, the intimate reminiscences meet the macro, touching on the impact of residential schools, land claims by greedy companies and the disproportionate incarceration of First Nations individuals. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 1 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for reminiscence

• concupiscence

Kids Definition

reminiscence

noun

rem·​i·​nis·​cence ˌrem-ə-ˈnis-ᵊn(t)s 

1

a

: a recalling to mind of a past experience

had a pleasant reminiscence of a favorite childhood toy

b

: the process of thinking or telling about past experiences

spent a pleasant hour in reminiscence

2

: an account of a memorable experience

—often used in plural