Remembering & Recalling Vocabulary

the enjoyable recollection of past events

“His reminiscences of childhood summers were bittersweet.”

Origin: Latin reminisci `remember` (re- `again` + mens `mind`)

the action of remembering; a memory

“Her recollection of events differed from the official account.”

Origin: Latin recolligere `gather again` (re- `again` + colligere `gather`)

a device to aid memory; relating to memory

“Roy G. Biv is a mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow.”

Origin: Greek mnēmonikos `of memory` from mnēmōn `mindful` (from Mnemosyne, goddess of memory)

bringing strong images or feelings to mind

“The evocative music transported her back to her youth.”

Origin: Latin evocare `call out` (e- `out` + vocare `to call`)

strongly reminiscent or suggestive of

“The cafe was redolent of Paris in the 1920s.”

Origin: Latin redolere `emit a scent` (red- `back` + olere `to smell`)

tending to remind one of something

“Her style is reminiscent of early Hemingway.”

Origin: Latin reminisci `remember` (re- `again` + mens `mind`)

to recall and show respect for a past event

“The monument commemorates those who died in the war.”

Origin: Latin commemorare `bring to remembrance` (com- `altogether` + memorare `relate`)

to preserve the memory of; to commemorate

“The foundation was established to memorialize the victims.”

Origin: Latin memoria `memory` from memor `mindful`

a survey of past time or events

“In retrospect, the warning signs were obvious.”

Origin: Latin retrospicere `look back` (retro- `backwards` + specere `to look`)

understanding of a situation after it has happened

“Hindsight is always twenty-twenty.”

Origin: English hind `rear, back` + sight (calque of German Nachsicht)