memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-rē 

ˈme-mə-

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms

began to lose his memory as he grew older

b

: the store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or experience as evidenced by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition

has a good memory for faces

2

a

: commemorative remembrance

erected a statue in memory of the hero

b

: the fact or condition of being remembered

days of recent memory

3

a

: a particular act of recall or recollection

has no memory of the event

b

: an image or impression of one that is remembered

fond memories of her youth

c

: the time within which past events can be or are remembered

within the memory of living men

4

a

: a device (such as a chip) or a component of an electronic device (such as a computer or smartphone) in which information can be inserted and stored and from which it may be extracted when wanted

especially : ram

b

: capacity for storing information

512 megabytes of memory

5

: a capacity for showing effects as the result of past treatment or for returning to a former condition

—used especially of a material (such as metal or plastic)

Synonyms

• mind
• recollection
• remembrance
• reminiscence

Choose the Right Synonym for memory

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 memory in a Sentence

He began to lose his memory as he grew older.

Dad has a selective memory: he remembers the times he was right and forgets the times he was wrong.

We have pleasant memories of the trip.

trying to repress bitter memories

His name evokes memories of a happier time.

That time is just a dim memory to me now.

The happiness of those times is still vivid in my memory.

Her name has faded from memory.

I seem to have very little memory of that time in my life.

The sudden shock jogged his memory and everything came flooding back into his mind.

Recent Examples on the Web

Catherine tells the story of her rape as a trauma survivor does, doing her best to conjure the dark collage of sensory details imprinted on her memory. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024

Nobody will be able to fill Dianne’s immense shoes, but her memory will be my guide. —Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Orange County Register, 5 Nov. 2024

After the original Jackson 5 member's death at age 70 on Sept. 5, a funeral service was held in his memory at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles on Monday, Nov. 4. —Jack Irvin, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024

That’s a lot of my formative memories as a kid and a lot of what got me into loving restaurants in general. —Demarco Williams, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English memorie, from Anglo-French memoire, memorie, from Latin memoria, from memor mindful; akin to Old English gemimor well-known, Greek mermēra care, Sanskrit smarati he remembers

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing memory

• bubble memory
• commit (something) to memory
• from memory
• have a memory/mind like a sieve
• highly superior autobiographical memory
• if memory serves
• if (my) memory serves me (correctly/right/rightly)
• in memory of
• in someone's memory
• in/within living memory
• jog someone's memory
• long memory
• long-term memory
• memory bank
• memory card
• memory foam
• memory hole
• memory lane
• memory lapse
• memory trace
• muscle memory
• photographic memory
• random-access memory
• read-only memory
• recovered memory
• refresh someone's memory
• screen memory
• selective memory
• short memory
• short-term memory
• slip someone's mind/memory
• someone's memory lives on
• stick in someone's mind/memory
• virtual memory
• working memory

Kids Definition

memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-(ə-)rē 

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of recalling what has been learned

b

: the store of things learned and kept in the mind

recite from memory

2

: commemoration sense 1

a monument in memory of a hero

3

: something remembered

has pleasant memories of the trip

4

: the time within which past events can be remembered

within the memory of people living today

5

a

: a device (as in a computer) into which information can be inserted and stored and from which it may be taken when needed

b

: capacity for storing information

a computer with 512 megabytes of memory

Medical Definition

memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-(ə-)rē 

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms

b

: the store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or experience as indicated by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition

2

: a capacity for showing effects as the result of past treatment or for returning to a former condition

—used especially of a material (as metal or plastic)