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What Comes to Mind When Thinking of reminisce?
Reminisce and its relative reminiscence come from the mind—that is to say, they come from the Latin word for "mind," which is mens. A root related to mens teamed up with the prefix re- to create the Latin verb reminisci ("to remember"), an ancestor of both words. Reminisce is one of several English verbs starting with re- that mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind." Others in this group include remember, recall, remind, and recollect. Reminisce distinguishes itself from the others by implying a casual recalling of experiences long past, often with a sense of nostalgia.
Synonyms
remember, recollect, recall, remind, reminisce mean to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind.
remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.
recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.
recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.
remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.
reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.
Examples of reminisce in a Sentence
Word History
back-formation from reminiscence
1829, in the meaning defined above
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Cite this Entry
“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reminisce. Accessed 4 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
reminisce
verbMore from Merriam-Webster on reminisce
Nglish: Translation of reminisce for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of reminisce for Arabic Speakers
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