DictionaryAI

memory

noun
MEM-uh-ree/ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/

Pluralmemories

9 meanings of memory

Practice

  1. 1
    thing recallednouncountable or uncountable
    A thing or event that you remember and can think about again.

    Like a photo you can look at again inside your mind.

    I have a clear memory of my first day at school.

    That old song brings back a memory of summer evenings.

    UsageSay a happy memory of something.

    Similarrecollection

  2. 2
    ability to recallnoununcountable
    The power of the mind to keep information and bring it back later.

    Like a notebook in your head where you save things and read them again later.

    She has a good memory for names and faces.

    After the accident, his memory slowly came back.

    UsageSay someone has a good memory for names.

    Similarrecall

  3. 3
    computer storagenouncountable or uncountable
    The part of a computer that stores information and instructions.

    Like the shelves where a computer keeps the things it is using right now.

    You need more memory to play this new game.

    The phone ran out of memory during the update.

    UsageA phone can run out of memory.

    Note
  4. 4
    how far backnouncountable or uncountable
    The amount of time that goes back as far as people can remember.

    It was the hottest summer in memory.

    No one in living memory had seen the river run so low.

    UsageSay in living memory: the hottest day in living memory.

    Note
  5. 5
    return to shapenouncountable or uncountablebefore a noun
    The ability of some materials to go back to their first shape after being bent or pressed, often when heated.

    When you heat it, the metal's memory makes it snap back to its first shape.

    The wire has memory, so it returns to a straight line when warmed.

    UsageOften in memory foam or memory metal.

    Note
  6. 6
    noununcountable
    The act of remembering and honoring someone who has died, as in "in memory of."

    We planted a tree in memory of my grandma.

    The family held a quiet dinner to honor his memory.

    Similarremembrance, commemoration

    Note

Less common meanings

  1. 7
    monumentnounobsoletecountable or uncountable
    A statue, stone, or other thing that helps people remember a person or event.
    These weeds are memories of those worser hours.
    c. 1603, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”Here, memories means things that keep alive the remembrance of a time.
    Note
  2. 8
    card gamenouncountable or uncountable
    A card game where you turn cards over two at a time and try to find matching pairs from memory.

    The kids played memory with a deck of animal cards.

    He won at memory because he remembered where every card lay.

    UsageSay play memory.

    Similarconcentration, pelmanism

    Note
  3. 9
    nounrarecollectivecountable or uncountable
    A group of elephants, usually called a herd.

    Similarherd

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of memory apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Latin memoria, meaning remembering or memory, from memor meaning 'mindful'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts