mementos

IPA/məmˈɛntəʊz/
KK[mɪmˈɛntoz]IPA/mɪmˈɛntoʊz/

mementos — noun

1. a small physical item that you keep because it brings back memories of a person,

1.nounB1
Definition

a small physical item that you keep because it brings back memories of a person, a place, or something that happened in the past

Example

The tour guide kept a small stone from the Great Wall as a memento of her visit.

collocation: memento of + place

Grandpa showed us the seashell he had kept as a memento of his days at sea.

collocation: keep as a memento

Common collocations
  • memento of a trip
  • memento of a friend
  • keep as a memento
  • a small memento
  • a personal memento
Synonyms
  • souvenir

    more common for something bought while traveling; less emotional weight

  • keepsake

    more personal and sentimental tone; often something given as a gift

  • reminder

    broader meaning — anything that makes you remember, not necessarily an object you treasure

Grammar Patterns

memento of + person/place/event

Usage Note

Often used with the preposition 'of' to specify what is being remembered. The plural form 'mementos' is more common than the singular 'memento' in everyday speech.

Common Mistakes

I bought this shell as a souvenir of my trip to Hualien' (when meaning a personal reminder).
I kept this shell as a memento of my trip to Hualien.
'souvenir' is for something bought on a trip; 'memento' is any object kept for memories, even a found object like a shell.
I bought a fridge magnet as a memento of my trip to Tokyo.
I bought a fridge magnet as a souvenir of my trip to Tokyo.
'memento' works for any memory object, but 'souvenir' sounds more natural when the object was bought while traveling.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe objects with sentimental meaning, but they differ in context and emotional weight. 'Memento' is the most neutral word for any object kept for its memories — it can be purchased or found, expensive or free. 'Souvenir' specifically refers to something bought or collected while traveling or attending an event; you would call a keychain from a trip a souvenir, but a friend's old photograph is better called a memento. 'Keepsake' carries a warmer, more personal tone — it is usually something given by a loved one and kept for its emotional value, like a lock of hair or a handmade card. 'Token' suggests a symbolic object of modest material value — often given to represent gratitude or friendship (e.g., a token of appreciation). For everyday use by a learner, 'memento' is the safest choice when the source of the object is unclear, while 'souvenir' is best for travel purchases and 'keepsake' for sentimental gifts.

memento ↗souvenir ↗keepsake ↗token ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • trip memento
  • travel memento
  • wedding memento
  • family memento

Adverbs

  • fondly as a memento
  • carefully as a memento

Phrases

  • keep something as a memento
  • serve as a memento
  • a memento of

Prepositions

  • memento of
  • as a memento

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'memento' comes directly from Latin, where it is the imperative form of the verb 'meminisse' meaning 'to remember.' It entered English in the late 1500s through Latin phrases such as 'memento mori' ('remember that you must die'), which referred to objects like skulls or hourglasses that reminded people of their mortality. Over time, the meaning softened from a warning to a neutral reminder of any person, place, or experience.