memorial

1 of 2

adjective

me·​mo·​ri·​al mə-ˈmȯr-ē-əl 

1

: serving to preserve remembrance : commemorative

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

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

Adjective

• commemorating
• commemorative
• honorary
• memorializing

Noun

• commemorative
• keepsake
• memento
• monument
• remembrance
• reminder
• souvenir
• token

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

His memorial service is set for Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. local time (4 a.m. ET), and his body will be buried at Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major in a simple wooden casket, per his request. —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Scores of world leaders attended the memorial service in St. Peter’s Square, from President Trump and former President Biden to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to French President Emmanuel Macron, among others. —The Hill Staff, The Hill, 26 Apr. 2025

Noun

Those are the stakes of Supermassive Games’ Until Dawn (2015), an interactive horror survival video game in which players take control of eight friends who become stranded at a cabin on Blackwood Mountain during a memorial for their friend’s death and must survive myriad terrors…until dawn. —Richard Newby, Time, 28 Apr. 2025

González’s presence and relevance in the school goes beyond simply being a namesake or having a memorial in the office with his uniform, military flag and certificates of recognition. —Amanda Jackson, CNN Money, 27 Apr. 2025

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

• arboreal
• armorial
• authorial
• factorial
• manorial
• pictorial
• sartorial
• sectorial
• tutorial
• vectorial
• ambassadorial
• combinatorial

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