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
Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
Lawyers for 9/11 families say that the video is not a memento but actually a showcase of potential targets for terrorist attacks.
—Michael Loria, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2025
The journal also includes a pocket, perfect for keeping precious mementos safe and sound.
—Yamillah Hurtado, People.com, 10 Sep. 2025
In fact, digital assets can include a broad spectrum of information and property from financial information—bank accounts, financial records, and retirement portals—to personal mementos, including photos and videos.
—Jamie Hopkins, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 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 18 Sep. 2025.
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memento
noun
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