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Dictionary / memory

memory

/ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)/ˈmɛm.ɹi/ (General-American, Received-Pronunciation)/ˈmɪm.ə.ɹi/ (pin-pen-merger)syllables: mem·o·ry
  • noun
  • from Anglo-Norman

The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

▶ Play the mastery game

1 All current definitions

Every sense of “memory” in current use, as recorded by Wiktionary. Older and obsolete senses are kept separately.

noun

  1. uncountableThe ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

    Memory is a facility common to all animals.

  2. countableuncountableA record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.

    I have no memory of that event.

  3. countableuncountableThe part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

    This data passes from the CPU to the memory.

  4. countableuncountableThe time within which past events can be or are remembered.

    in recent memory

  5. attributivecountableuncountableOf a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.

    memory metal

  6. uncountableSynonym of pelmanism (“memory card game”).
  7. collectivecountablerareuncountableA term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.
Older & obsolete senses (1)
  1. countableobsoleteuncountableA memorial.
Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Cross-check: WordNet senses (5)
  1. nounsomething that is remembered
  2. nounthe cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered — also: remembering
  3. nounthe power of retaining and recalling past experience — also: retention, retentiveness, retentivity
  4. nounan electronic memory device — also: computer memory, storage, computer storage, store, memory board
  5. nounthe area of cognitive psychology that studies memory processes
Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License

Synonyms: memory, recall, recollection, rememoration, reminiscence

Antonyms: blank

Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

2 History of the word

The etymology, the path the word travelled, and the words built from it.

The word’s journey, newest to oldest:

  1. English (today)memory
  2. Anglo-Normanmemorie
  3. Latinmemoria “the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”
  4. Latinmemor “mindful, remembering”
  5. Proto-Indo-European* (s)

From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria (“the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (to remember), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”) μέρμερος (mérmeros, “anxious”), μέριμνα (mérimna, “care, thought”), Old English ġemimor (“mindful, remembering”). More at mimmer. Doublet of memoir and memoria. Displaced native Old English myne (whence English min) and Old English ġemynd, which took on a different meaning as modern mind.

Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Derivatives — words built from “memory”

forgetterymemcapacitancememcapacitormemexmemoriedmemoristmemorycidememoryfulmemory-holememory-holingmemorylessmemory-safememory-unsafememory-wipememristormetamemorymultimemorynonmemorypostmemorypseudomemorythermomemoryin-memory

Phrases & compounds

as memory servesbase memorybattery memorybubble memorybuddy memory allocationcollective memorycommit to memoryconstructive memoryconventional memorycore memorydamnation of memorydeclarative memoryDIP memorydynamic memoryechoic memoryEDO memoryeidetic memoryepisodic memoryexpanded memoryextended memory

Related terms

memomemoirmemorabiliamemorablememorandummemoratememorialmemorisememorizememory bankmemory cardmemory foammemory lanememory-riddenremembermnemonics
Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Want to go deeper? See also “memory” on Etymonline ↗

3 Original language

Where “memory” came from before it was English.

Came into English from
Anglo-Norman
Anglo-Norman memorie
Oldest written form
Latin
Latin memor “mindful, remembering”
Deepest root (reconstructed)
Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-European * (s)
Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

4 Original meaning

What the word meant at the oldest point the record reaches.

Latin
“mindful, remembering”
Latin memor
Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Historical meaning — Webster’s 1913

A historical record, labelled as such: some of these senses are dated or have since shifted.

memory n. [OE. memorie, OF. memoire, memorie, F. m, L. memoria, fr. memor mindful; cf. mora delay. Cf. Demur, Martyr, Memoir, Remember.]

  1. The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events.
  2. The reach and positiveness with which a person can remember; the strength and trustworthiness of one's power to reach and represent or to recall the past; as, his memory was never wrong.
  3. The actual and distinct retention and recognition of past ideas in the mind; remembrance; as, in memory of youth; memories of foreign lands.
  4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered; as, within the memory of man.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), public domain, via GCIDE

5 Use it with confidence

Model sentences from the sources, matched to the meaning they show. Read each one aloud, then make your own in the game.

nounMeaning: The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

Memory is a facility common to all animals.

And they say goldfish have no memory. I guess their lives are much like mine. And the little plastic castle is a surprise every time.1998, “Little Plastic Castle”, in Little Plastic Castle, performed by Ani DiFranco:

nounMeaning: A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.

I have no memory of that event.

My wedding is one of my happiest memories.

nounMeaning: The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

This data passes from the CPU to the memory.

My first microcomputer had 12K of memory. When I expanded to a full 64K, I thought I had all the memory I'd ever need. Hah. I know better now.1987 July 27, Jerry Pournelle, “Law of Expanding Memory: Applications Will Also Expand Until RAM Is Full”, in InfoWorld, volume 9, number 30, InfoWorld Media Group Inc, page 46:

nounMeaning: The time within which past events can be or are remembered.

in recent memory

in living memory

nounMeaning: Of a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.

memory metal

memory plastic

nounMeaning: something that is remembered

search as he would, the memory was lost

nounMeaning: the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered

he can do it from memory

nounMeaning: the power of retaining and recalling past experience

he had a good memory when he was younger

nounMeaning: an electronic memory device

a memory and the CPU form the central part of a computer to which peripherals are attached

Princeton WordNet 3.0 — WordNet License
Wiktionary: “memory” (via kaikki.org) — CC BY-SA 4.0

Three steps to owning it

  1. Pick one meaning above and read its model sentence out loud.
  2. Say who or what the word is about in your own life, then build a sentence around that.
  3. Check it against the definition: would a careful reader understand exactly that meaning?

6 The mastery game

Play it here, or print it and do it with pen and paper. At the end you will know the meanings, history, origin and original meaning — and you will have used the word yourself.

Step 1 of 10

Say it, then spell it

memory

/ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/ · mem·o·ry

Say the word out loud three times, slowly. Notice the stressed syllable. When you are ready, hide it and spell it from memory.

Activate Words · Word-mastery worksheet · Name: ______________________ Date: __________

memory

/ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/ · mem·o·ry · noun

Step 1 — Say it and write it

Say “memory” out loud three times. Then cover the word and write it three times from memory.

Step 2 — Know every meaning

Read each definition. Then write it again in your own words.

1. (noun) The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.
2. (noun) A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.
3. (noun) The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).
4. (noun) The time within which past events can be or are remembered.
5. (noun) Of a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.

Step 3 — Which meaning is it?

“Memory is a facility common to all animals.”

A. A term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.
B. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.
C. The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

Circle the meaning used.

“I have no memory of that event.”

A. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.
B. A term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.
C. Of a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.

Circle the meaning used.

“This data passes from the CPU to the memory.”

A. Of a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.
B. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.
C. The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

Circle the meaning used.

Step 4 — History and origin

Which language did “memory” come into English from?   A. Ancient Greek  B. Late Latin  C. Middle Dutch  D. Anglo-Norman

Write the word’s journey back in time (each language and form):

Write three words built from “memory” and what each means:

Step 5 — Original meaning

The earliest traceable form is Latin memor. What did it mean?

How does that original meaning connect to the meanings today?

Step 6 — Use it yourself

Write a sentence using “memory” to mean: The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.
Write a sentence using “memory” to mean: A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.
Write a sentence using “memory” to mean: The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

☐ I can explain its meanings   ☐ I know its history   ☐ I know its original language   ☐ I know its original meaning   ☐ I can use it confidently

Answer key — memory

Which meaning, sentence 1: C. The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

Which meaning, sentence 2: A. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.

Which meaning, sentence 3: C. The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

Origin: D. Anglo-Norman (Anglo-Norman memorie)

Journey: English memory ← Anglo-Norman memorie ← Latin memoria ← Latin memor ← Proto-Indo-European *

Some derivatives: forgettery, memcapacitance, memcapacitor, memex, memoried, memorist, memorycide, memoryful

Original meaning: Latin memor — “mindful, remembering”

Etymology: From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria (“the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (to remember), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”) μέρμερος (mérmeros, “anxious”), μέριμνα (mérimna, “care, thought”), Old English ġemimor (“mindful, remembering”). More at mimmer. Doublet of memoir and memoria. Displaced native Old English myne (whence English min) and Old English ġemynd, which took on a different meaning as modern mind.

Sources: Wiktionary “memory” (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/memory#English), CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org; Princeton WordNet 3.0; Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913, public domain) via GCIDE. Worksheet from https://activatewords.com/w/memory