remember

[ ri-mem-ber ]

verb (used with object)

1. to recall to the mind by an act or effort of memory; think of again:

   I'll try to remember the exact date.

   Antonyms: forget

2. to retain in the memory; keep in mind; remain aware of:

   Remember your appointment with the dentist.

   Antonyms: forget

3. to have (something) come into the mind again:

   I just remembered that it's your birthday today.

4. to bear (a person) in mind as deserving a gift, reward, or fee:

   The company always remembers us at Christmas.

5. to give a tip, donation, or gift to:

   to remember someone in need.

6. to mention (a person) to another as sending kindly greetings:

   Remember me to your family.

7. (of an appliance, computer, etc.) to perform (a programmed activity) at a later time or according to a preset schedule:

   The coffeepot remembers to start the coffee at 7 a.m. every day.

8. Archaic. to remind.

verb (used without object)

1. to possess or exercise the faculty of memory.
2. to have recollection (sometimes followed by of ):

   The old man remembers of his youth.

remember

/ rɪˈmɛmbə /

verb

1. to become aware of (something forgotten) again; bring back to one's consciousness; recall
2. to retain (an idea, intention, etc) in one's conscious mind

   remember to do one's shopping

   to remember Pythagoras' theorem

3. tr to give money, etc, to (someone), as in a will or in tipping
4. trfoll byto to mention (a person's name) to another person, as by way of greeting or friendship

   remember me to your mother

5. tr to mention (a person) favourably, as in prayer
6. tr to commemorate (a person, event, etc)

   to remember the dead of the wars

7. remember oneself
   to recover one's good manners after a lapse; stop behaving badly

Derived Forms

• reˈmemberer, noun

Other Words From

• re·member·a·ble adjective
• re·member·er noun
• unre·membered adjective
• unre·member·ing adjective
• well-re·membered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of remember¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer, from Late Latin rememorārī, equivalent to re- re- + Latin memor “mindful” ( memory ) + -ārī infinitive suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of remember¹

C14: from Old French remembrer , from Late Latin rememorārī to recall to mind, from Latin re- + memor mindful; see memory

Synonym Study

Remember, recall, recollect refer to bringing back before the conscious mind things which exist in the memory. Remember implies that a thing exists in the memory, though not actually present in the thoughts at the moment: to remember the days of one's childhood. Recall implies a voluntary effort, though not a great one: to recall the words of a song. Recollect implies an earnest voluntary effort to remember some definite, desired fact or thing: I cannot recollect the exact circumstances.

Example Sentences

The victim could not remember how she returned to her hotel room but said she woke up there.

From Salon

I remember there was an old film with Harry Belafonte and Dorothy Dandridge called “Bright Road” about young Black educators.

From Salon

I remember when I was younger, much younger, there was a series called “Room 222” about Black educators, and then there was “Welcome Back, Kotter.”

From Salon

Just remember: “Evolution does not necessarily reward intelligence. With no natural predators to thin the herd, it began to simply reward those who reproduced the most, and left the intelligent to become an endangered species.”

From Salon

Yvonne Villarreal: I mean, last year too, you’ll remember — how could anyone forget? — the way “Barbenheimer” really dominated the conversation.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• commemorate
• get
• learn
• look back
• recall
• recognize
• relive
• remind