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

Also, a foul ball hit by almost any player would be a nice souvenir. — Scott Simon, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026

The heart of this town is a neat grid of small roads, lined with shops selling tours and safari trips amid a jumble of souvenirs and handicrafts, alongside a smattering of local eateries. — Charukesi Ramadurai, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Oct. 2026

With great souvenir cups comes great responsibility, so make sure all you Fresno State fans keep the bones in the stands on Saturday. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

The incomplete recording that survives is a curious novelty souvenir of an important passage in Dylan’s artistic growth. — Sean Wilentz, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 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