souvenir

noun

sou·​ve·​nir ˈsü-və-ˌnir How to pronounce souvenir (audio)
ˌsü-və-ˈnir
Synonyms of souvenir
: something kept as a reminder (as of a place one has visited)
a souvenir of her travels
a souvenir shop

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Though, to be clear, Jackson Hole is doing a lot more than selling tongue-in-cheek souvenir tees to help protect its natural beauty and authentic character as popularity grows. — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026 The photos, awards and other memorabilia aren’t just souvenirs of his storied career. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026 War souvenirs are a largely universal occurrence, Dickey said, and World War II saw Americans returning home with plenty of mementos from Europe, including Nazi paraphernalia like pins and insignias. — Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 In other words, someone who spent $1,000 on what seemed like an outrageous baseball souvenir more than a decade ago could now have the opportunity to bring the whole family to the World Series without paying today's eye-popping resale prices. — Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 19 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for souvenir

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of souvenir was in 1782

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Souvenir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/souvenir. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

souvenir

noun
sou·​ve·​nir ˈsü-və-ˌni(ə)r How to pronounce souvenir (audio)
ˌsü-və-ˈni(ə)r
: something that serves as a reminder : memento
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster