souvenir

noun

sou·​ve·​nir ˈsü-və-ˌnir 

ˌsü-və-ˈnir

: something kept as a reminder (as of a place one has visited)

a souvenir of her travels

a souvenir shop

Synonyms of souvenir

• reminder
• memorial

Examples of souvenir in a Sentence

When I went to the Super Bowl, I kept my ticket stub as a souvenir.

kept their love letters as souvenirs of their courtship

Recent Examples on the Web

Disney began selling simple souvenir popcorn pails in the 1990s and in 2010 introduced a 3D container modeled after Micky Mouse. —Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026

Signs along Main Street advertise shops like WomanMade Products and hawk souvenirs. —Beverly Gage, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2026

Many programs and coaches are judged by the number of Final Four appearances, where teams are presented with watches as a memento and, at Indianapolis, souvenir racecar helmets. —Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026

Now, on a trip to somewhere new or when revisiting my favorite hotels, my must-have souvenir sometimes is just the fancy mini shampoo bottle, if only to make my grandma proud. —Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, act of remembering, from Middle French, from (se) souvenir to remember, from Latin subvenire to come up, come to mind — more at subvention

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing souvenir

• souvenir sheet
• souvenir shop

Rhymes for souvenir

• auctioneer
• bandelier
• belvedere
• bombardier
• brigadier
• buccaneer
• cavalier
• chandelier
• chanticleer
• chevalier
• commandeer
• disappear

Kids Definition

souvenir

noun

sou·​ve·​nir ˈsü-və-ˌni(ə)r 

ˌsü-və-ˈni(ə)r

: something that serves as a reminder : memento