memorabilia
nounUK /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/ · CA, US /ˌmɛm(ə)ɹəˈbɪlɪə/
Etymology Borrowed from Latin memorābilia (“things to be remembered”); its use as noun is after Ancient Greek ἀπομνημονεύματα (apomnēmoneúmata) of the neuter plural of memorābilis (“memorable”). Its English use is perhaps after the Latin title Memorabilia of Xenophon’s collection of Socratic dialogues.
1
Plural normally Objects that are connected to or remind their owner of past events.
- George has a collection of World War II memorabilia.
- I can't remember / Give me a reminder / I collect, I reject / Memorabilia / Memorabilia1981, “Memorabilia”, in Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, performed by Soft Cell:
2 more examples
- Have you seen the memorabilia / The rusty old memorabilia / The souvenirs of perfect doom / In the back of Louis Dakine's backroom2012, Donald Fagen, “Memorabilia”, in Sunken Condos:
- Another friend was present while I was there, veteran criminal defense attorney William J. Brennan, jealously guarding an SUV full of memorabilia he’d purchased, including a Rizzo fedora and walking stick, the former of which he told me he hoped Rizzo was wearing during the famous “crumb bum” exchange with television reporter Stan Bohrman.2019 January 3, Michael Smerconish, “The Nixon letter I can’t forget”, in CNN, archived from the original on 23 Oct 2021:
2
Archaic, Plural normally Things worth remembering: noteworthy points.
- 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.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:
- Derived terms
- commemorabilia, Negrobilia