Memory

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈmÉ›məɹi/
• US IPA: /ˈmÉ›mɹi/, /ˈmÉ›məɹi/
• pin-pen IPA: /ˈmɪmɹi/, /ˈmɪməɹi/

Alternative forms

• memorie archaic

Origin

From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria ("the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account"), from memor ("mindful, remembering"), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mneme, "memory") μέρμερος (mermeros, "anxious"), μέριμνα (merimna, "care, thought"), Old English mimor ("mindful, remembering"). More at mimmer.

Full definition of memory

Noun

1. (uncountable) The ability of an organism to record information about things or events with the facility of recalling them later at will.Memory is a facility common to all animals.
• unknown date Albert SchweitzerHappiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.
2. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by the organism.I have no memory of that event.
3. (computing) 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.
4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered.in recent memory; in living memory
5. (attributive, of a material) which returns to its original shape when heat
   Memory metal; memory plastic.
6. (obsolete) A memorial.
• ShakespeareThese weeds are memories of those worser hours.

Synonyms

• (ability to recall) recall
• (stored record) recall, recollection
• (RAM or ROM) core (old-fashioned)

Derived terms

Related terms