Mementos: meaning, definitions and examples

Keepsake is commonly used to describe a small item that is kept in memory of someone or something, often with a strong emotional connection.

• The necklace was a precious keepsake from her mother.
• He gave her a locket as a keepsake of their time together.

Souvenir is used to describe an item bought or received during a trip or visit to serve as a memory of the experience. It is often commercial and doesn't necessarily have a deep personal connection.

• She brought back a keychain as a souvenir from her trip to Paris.
• They bought souvenirs for their friends from the museum gift shop.

Reminder refers to something that causes one to remember something or someone but does not necessarily have a personal or sentimental value. It can also refer to a note or prompt that helps one recall something.

• The alarm on her phone was a daily reminder to take her medication.
• The photo on the wall was a constant reminder of their happy times.

Typically used to refer to objects kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event with sentimental value.

• She kept a box of mementos from her travels.
• The photos served as mementos of their adventures together.

Commonly used to refer to something that makes you remember something else, often used in both personal and professional contexts.

• She set a reminder on her phone so she wouldn't forget the meeting.
• The scars were a constant reminder of the accident.

Used in casual conversations to describe something that helps one to remember something they had forgotten.

• That old song was a real memory jogger for him.
• She kept a diary as a memory jogger for her future self.

Usually used to describe the act of remembering past experiences, often with a positive, nostalgic tone.

• The family gathering was full of reminiscences about childhood.
• He slipped into a reminiscence about his college days.