memento
noun
Libby Lubin
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
Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2025
Great for wedding inspiration and a memento of their special place for years to come.
—Hayley Bloomingdale, Vogue, 2 Apr. 2025
Other significant items Hague brought to space included mission patches and mementos honoring contributions for service members, scientists, and engineers.
—Julian Dossett, Space.com, 25 Mar. 2025
Now both rock and aviation buffs can own their own special memento of the beloved aircraft.
—Michael Goldstein, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for memento
Cite this Entry
“Memento.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memento. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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memento
noun
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