memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-rē 

ˈme-mə-

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms

began to lose his memory as he grew older

b

: the store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or experience as evidenced by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition

has a good memory for faces

has a short/long memory

Dad has a selective memory; he remembers when he's right and forgets when he's wrong.

If memory serves me rightly/correctly, we've been here before. [=If I remember accurately, we've been here before.]

2

a

: commemorative remembrance

erected a statue in memory of the hero

b

: the fact or condition of being remembered

days of recent memory

3

a

: a particular act of recall or recollection

has no memory of the event

b

: an image or impression of one that is remembered

fond memories of her youth

c

: the time within which past events can be or are remembered

within the memory of living men

4

a

: a device (such as a chip) or a component of an electronic device (such as a computer or smartphone) in which information can be inserted and stored and from which it may be extracted when wanted

especially : ram

b

: capacity for storing information

512 megabytes of memory

5

: a capacity for showing effects as the result of past treatment or for returning to a former condition

—used especially of a material (such as metal or plastic)

see also:

from memory

Synonyms of memory

• recollection

Choose the Right Synonym for memory

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered.

memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered.

gifted with a remarkable memory

that incident was now just a distant memory

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples of memory in a Sentence

He began to lose his memory as he grew older.

Dad has a selective memory: he remembers the times he was right and forgets the times he was wrong.

We have pleasant memories of the trip.

trying to repress bitter memories

His name evokes memories of a happier time.

That time is just a dim memory to me now.

The happiness of those times is still vivid in my memory.

Her name has faded from memory.

I seem to have very little memory of that time in my life.

The sudden shock jogged his memory and everything came flooding back into his mind.

Recent Examples on the Web

Tell me about your memories of filming those scenes and if there’s one Long Table scene that sticks out most for you. — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 July 2026

As the final seconds ticked down on Spain’s 1-0 extra-time win over a valiant Argentina and the referee blew his whistle, one could be forgiven for their mind once again slipping to memories of La Roja’s maiden World Cup victory. — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 20 July 2026

Linda Twiddy's first weeks in a Chesapeake, Virginia, memory care unit in August 2024 were happy, her daughter, Barbara Howerin, said in a May interview. — Jordan Rau, NPR, 19 July 2026

The painful memory of the last citywide revaluation in 2021 is still fresh, with a broad cross-section of homeowners experiencing real estate tax bill sticker shock as residential property values soared in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. — Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English memorie, from Anglo-French memoire, memorie, from Latin memoria, from memor mindful; akin to Old English gemimor well-known, Greek mermēra care, Sanskrit smarati he remembers

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing memory

• bubble memory
• commit (something) to memory
• from memory
• have a memory/mind like a sieve
• highly superior autobiographical memory
• if memory serves
• if (my) memory serves me (correctly/right/rightly)
• in memory of
• in someone's memory
• in/within living memory
• jog someone's memory
• long memory
• long-term memory
• memory bank
• memory card
• memory foam
• memory hole
• memory lane
• memory lapse
• memory trace
• muscle memory
• photographic memory
• random-access memory
• read-only memory
• recovered memory
• refresh someone's memory
• screen memory
• short memory
• short-term memory
• slip someone's mind/memory
• someone's memory lives on
• stick in someone's mind/memory
• virtual memory
• working memory

Rhymes for memory

• emery

Kids Definition

memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-(ə-)rē 

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of recalling what has been learned

b

: the store of things learned and kept in the mind

recite from memory

2

: commemoration sense 1

a monument in memory of a hero

3

: something remembered

has pleasant memories of the trip

4

: the time within which past events can be remembered

within the memory of people living today

5

a

: a device (as in a computer) into which information can be inserted and stored and from which it may be taken when needed

b

: capacity for storing information

a computer with 512 megabytes of memory

Medical Definition

memory

noun

mem·​o·​ry ˈmem-(ə-)rē 

plural memories

1

a

: the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained especially through associative mechanisms

b

: the store of things learned and retained from an organism's activity or experience as indicated by modification of structure or behavior or by recall and recognition

2

: a capacity for showing effects as the result of past treatment or for returning to a former condition

—used especially of a material (as metal or plastic)