in memoriam

preposition

in me·​mo·​ri·​am ˌin-mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əm 

: in memory of

—used especially in epitaphs

Did you know?

Since the days of the Roman empire, the words In memoriam, followed by a name, have been found on monuments and gravestones. They may also appear in the dedication of a book or poem; Alfred Tennyson's greatest poem is his immense In Memoriam, written over a period of 17 years to mourn the death of his dear friend Arthur Hallam.

Examples of in memoriam in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The ceremony also featured a powerful in memoriam honoring Charlie Kirk and no one else. —Charlotte Y. Levy, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2026

The in memoriam section then highlighted those lost during 2025, like Catherine O’Hara, Diane Keaton, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Brigitte Bardot, Michael Madsen, Terence Stamp, Diane Ladd, Sally Kirkland, Tom Stoppard, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Val Kilmer. —ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026

For years, the Oscars’ in memoriam segment has been scored with weepy music and sentimental ballads. —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2026

Producers expanded the in memoriam segment following a year that featured the deaths of so many Hollywood legends, including Keaton, Robert Duvall and Redford. —Jake Coyle, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for in memoriam

• auditorium
• cladosporium
• crematorium
• eupatorium
• moratorium
• sanatorium
• conservatorium
• helminthosporium
• corium
• emporium
• scriptorium
• tentorium