memorabilia

Borrowed from Latin memorābilia (“things to be remembered”), use as noun after Ancient Greek ἀπομνημονεύματα (apomnēmoneúmata) of the neuter plural of memorābilis (“memorable”). English use is perhaps after the Latin title Memorabilia of Xenophon’s collection of Socratic dialogues.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/, /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbiːlɪə/
• (General American, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/, /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbilɪə/

  • Audio (General American):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˌmem(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/, /ˌmem(ə)ɹəˈbiːlɪə/

memorabilia pl (normally plural, singular (rare) memorabile)

1. (originally US) Objects that are connected to or remind their owner of past events. [from 1855]^[1]

   Synonyms: mementos, souvenirs, keepsakes

   George has a collection of World War II memorabilia.

   • 1981, “Memorabilia”, in Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, performed by Soft Cell:

     I can't remember / Give me a reminder / I collect, I reject / Memorabilia / Memorabilia

2. (now rare) Things worth remembering: noteworthy points. [from 1785]^[1]
   • 1785, James Boswell, “To James Boswell, Esq.”, in The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides, with Samuel Johnson, LL.D. […], London: […] Henry Baldwin, for Charles Dilly, […], →OCLC, page 522:

     On the other hand, how uſeful is ſuch a faculty, if well exerciſed! To it we owe all thoſe intereſting apothegms and memorabilia of the ancients, which Plutarch, Xenophon, and Valerius Maximus, have tranſmitted to us.

memorābilia

1. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter plural of memorābilis

• “memorabilia”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers

memorabilia f (plural memorabilias)

1. memorabilia