Remember

Pronunciation

GenAm IPA: /É¹ÉªËˆmÉ›mbÉš/
RP IPA: /É¹ÉªËˆmÉ›mbÉ™/
Rhymes: -É›mbÉ™(É¹)
Hyphenation: re + mem + ber

Alternative forms

remembre obsolete

Origin

From Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer ("to remember"), from Late Latin rememorari ("to remember again"), from re- + memor ("mindful"), from Proto-Indo-European *mer-, *smer- ("to think about, be mindful, remember"). Cognate with Old English mimorian, mymerian ("to remember, commemorate"), Old English mÄmorian ("to deliberate, plan out, design"). More at mammer.

etymology note

The success of the Old French word was aided by its proximity in sound and meaning to an existing word: Old English mimorian, mymerian "to remember, commemorate" from Proto-Germanic *mimrÅnÄ…, *mÄ«mrÅnÄ… ("to remember, be mindful"), from the same Proto-Indo-European source, and is akin to Eastern Frisian mÄ«merje "to ponder, reflect", Middle Low German mÄ«meren, mÄ«mern "to ponder, meditate", Middle Dutch mÄ«meren "to reflect, think to oneself" (Dutch mijmeren "to muse, reflect deeply"), Old English mimor ("mindful"), Old Norse MÃmir, Mim, Norse god of Memory, Old English mÄmrian "to think out, design". Related to mourn.

Displaced native Middle English ÈemuneÈen ("to remember"), from Old English Ä¡emynegian ("to remember, remind"); Middle English minnen ("to remember, have in mind"), from Old Norse minna ("to remind"); Middle English munden, Èemunden ("to bear in mind, remember"), from Old English Ä¡emynd ("memory, remembrance"); Middle English ithenchen, Èethenchen ("to think on, remember"), from Old English Ä¡eÃ¾encan; Middle English manien ("to remind, mention, remember"), from Old English manian ("to admonish, remind, mention").

Full definition of remember

Verb

To recall from one's memory; to have an image in one's memory.

In the lightness of my heart I sang catches of songs as my horse gayly bore me along the well-remembered road.
1963, Margery Allingham, The China Governess Chapter 6, ‘â€¦ I remember a lady coming to inspect St. Mary's Home where I was brought up and seeing us all in our lovely Elizabethan uniforms we were so proud of, and bursting into tears all over us because â€œit was wicked to dress us like charity childrenâ€. â€¦â€™.

To memorize; to put something into memory.
Please remember this formula!
To not forget (to do something required)
Remember to lock the door when you go out.
To convey greetings from.
Please remember me to your brother.
(obsolete) To put in mind; to remind (also used reflexively)

1610, , by William Shakespeare, act 1 scene 2Since thou dost give me pains,
Let me remember thee what thou hast promis'd,
Which is not yet perform'd me.
ChapmanMy friends remembered me of home.
, Secret Parting, lines 5-7''But soon, remembering her how brief the whole''Of joy, which its own hours annihilate,''Her set gaze gathered

(intransitive) To engage in the process of recalling memories.
You don't have to remind him; he remembers very well.

Usage notes

In sense 1 this is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing).

In sense 3 this is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive.

See