memento mori

[ muh-men-toh mawr-ahy, mohr-ahy, mawr-ee, mohr-ee; Latin me-men-toh moh-ree ]

noun

, plural memento mori

1. (italics) Latin. remember that you must die.
2. an object, as a skull, serving as a reminder of death or mortality.

memento mori

/ ˈmɔːriː /

noun

1. an object, such as a skull, intended to remind people of the inevitability of death

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento mori¹

First recorded in 1585–95, memento mori is from Latin mementō morī

Word History and Origins

Origin of memento mori¹

C16: Latin: remember you must die

Example Sentences

But from the inside, this nonprofit arts and culture organization appears to be nothing more than a diverse community of inquisitive minds happy to spend an entire Saturday listening to lectures about death and dying at the Memento Mori Festival hosted in their 200-person auditorium.

From Los Angeles Times

Not even “Orange Grove Estates” as a memento mori.

From Los Angeles Times

The message is consistent and irrefutable: Memento mori.

From New York Times

He decided to make a podcast about spirituality and death called “The Adventures of Memento Mori,” referring to the Latin phrase: “Remember you must die.”

From New York Times

From the jump, darkly charismatic lead singer Dave Gahan was in peak form, wading through the shadows en route to a fractured centerstage spotlight on an opening “My Cosmos is Mine” — a newbie off this spring’s solid “Memento Mori” LP, the ’80s electronic giants’ 15th studio album.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• warning