memorial

1 of 2

adjective

me·​mo·​ri·​al mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl 

1

: serving to preserve remembrance : commemorative

a memorial plaque

2

: of or relating to memory

memorially

mə-ˈmȯr-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

memorial

2 of 2

noun

1

: something that keeps remembrance alive: such as

a

: monument

a war memorial

b

: something (such as a speech or ceremony) that commemorates

c

: keepsake, memento

2

a

: record, memoir

… language and literature … the memorials of another age.

—J. H. Fisher

b

: memorandum, note

specifically : a legal abstract

c

: a statement of facts addressed to a government and often accompanied by a petition or remonstrance

Synonyms of memorial

Adjective

• commemorative
• commemorating

Noun

• reminder
• monument

Examples of memorial in a Sentence

Adjective

a memorial plaque on the bridge for a diver who died in the line of duty

Noun

the Vietnam War Memorial is a starkly beautiful testimonial to the bravery of the soldiers who served in Vietnam

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Signs quickly piled up at his roadside memorial blaming Bustillos for the chain of events and telling other drivers to slow down. — Jacob Sisneros, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026

Flowers, handwritten remembrances and other tributes have been piling up at de facto Dolly Parton memorial sites around the Nashville area. — The Npr Network, NPR, 29 Aug. 2026

Noun

Occupying the sacred space between Lincoln Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery, the Great Triumphal Arch will stand 250 feet tall, two and half times taller than Lincoln’s memorial and big enough to obscure views of the cemetery. — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026

At a memorial for one of the men, cars were smashed into each other in a field and set alight. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 5 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin memorialis, from memoria memory

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing memorial

• memorial park

Rhymes for memorial

• boreal
• ambassadorial
• combinatorial
• conspiratorial
• extracorporeal
• gladiatorial
• gubernatorial
• inquisitorial
• mediatorial
• multifactorial
• prosecutorial
• supratentorial

Kids Definition

memorial

1 of 2 adjective

me·​mo·​ri·​al mə-ˈmōr-ē-əl 

-ˈmȯr-

: serving to preserve the memory of a person or an event

a memorial service

memorially

-ē-ə-lē 

adverb

memorial

2 of 2 noun

: something that keeps alive the memory of a person or event

especially : monument sense 1