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

Downtown Boone is the perfect place to go for souvenirs from your time in Western North Carolina. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 9 Feb. 2026

Was the bone a souvenir, to be taken home and dried on the mantel? —Sally Jenkins, The Atlantic, 9 Feb. 2026

Its Travel Facts section listed everything from voltage requirements and cultural norms to what kind of food and souvenirs visitors would find. —Bill Chappell, NPR, 7 Feb. 2026

Out on the sidewalk and behind barriers, lookie-loos crane their necks for a peek at the competitors, while pin traders mill through the churning crowd in hopes of making a souvenir swap. —Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 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