remembrance

American  

[ri-mem-bruhns] / rɪˈmɛm brəns /

noun

1. a retained mental impression; memory.

   Synonyms:

   reminiscence, recollection

2. the act or fact of remembering.

3. the power or faculty of remembering.

   Synonyms:

   memory

4. the length of time over which recollection or memory extends.

5. the state of being remembered; commemoration.

   to hold someone's name in remembrance.

6. something that serves to bring to mind or keep in mind some place, person, event, etc.; memento.

   Synonyms:

   memorial, token, souvenir, trophy, keepsake

7. a gift given as a token of love or friendship.

   I sent her a small remembrance on Mother's Day.

8. remembrances, greetings; respects.

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remembrance British  

/ rɪˈmɛmbrəns /

noun

1. the act of remembering or state of being remembered

2. something that is remembered; reminiscence

3. a memento or keepsake

4. the extent in time of one's power of recollection

5. 1. the act of honouring some past event, person, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a remembrance service

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Other Word Forms

• nonremembrance noun

Etymology

Origin of remembrance

1300–50; Middle English < Old French; see remember, -ance

Explanation

Remembrance is when someone remembers things — your grandfather might have uncanny remembrance of his childhood, for example. The noun remembrance is really just another way to say "memory." It's the process of remembering things that happened in the past. In Shakespeare's play "Hamlet," the character of Ophelia famously says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." The smell of the herb has actually been shown to improve memory, and has historically been a symbol of remembrance. Early uses of remembrance had the meaning "keepsake or souvenir."

Example Sentences

The Withered World Tour included themes of death and remembrance.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2026

Hundreds of people attended a remembrance service for a 13-year-old boy killed in a road crash.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Train workers were staging a 24-hour strike on Monday in what their union called "an act of collective remembrance, protest and democratic vigilance".

From Barron's • Mar. 23, 2026

The Reiner remembrance was followed by a segment that included tributes to the late Diane Keaton by Rachel McAdams and the late Robert Redford by Barbra Streisand.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 16, 2026

They drew their breath through their teeth and for the moment hurried secretly on, storing the majestic vision of terror in the chambers of remembrance.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Related Words

• commemoration
• memento
• memorial
• reminder