memento

noun

me·men·to mə-ˈmen-(ˌ)tō

nonstandard

mō-

plural mementos or mementoes

Synonyms of memento next

: something that serves to warn or remind

a museum filled with war mementos—

Libby Lubin

also : souvenir

mementos of their travels

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

a collection of photographs and mementos It was a memento of our trip.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Her childhood home in the Pacific Palisades was burned to the ground after her elderly parents were forced to evacuate, leaving a lifetime of mementos and memories behind. —

Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 20 Jan. 2025 Waters uses the space to store some of her three kids’ books and mementos, which helps keep the clutter in their rooms under control. —

The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025 Additionally, leaving behind a comforting object—such as a photo, note, or small memento—can provide reassurance. —

Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Jan. 2025 The couple is mourning the loss of personal effects — family photos and mementos that have no monetary value but are irreplaceable. —

Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for memento