commemorate
kuh-MEM-uh-rayt
/kəˈmɛm.ə.reɪt/
To recall and show respect for someone or something in an official ceremony or through a formal monument, ceremony, or event.
Focuses on preserving memory and expressing reverence, often solemn or formal.
The story behind the word. In ancient Latin, 'commemorare' meant to bring people together to keep a memory vivid. It combined the prefix 'com-' (together) with 'memor' (mindful). The word entered Middle English through Anglo-Norman legal and ecclesiastical traditions, always carrying the weight of collective public remembrance.
Word relationships
- honor: 'Honor' can be abstract respect, whereas 'commemorate' involves a specific action, monument, or ceremony.
- memorialize: 'Memorialize' specifically emphasizes preserving memory through lasting physical objects or records.
- forget: 'Forget' means to lose memory, whereas 'commemorate' actively keeps memory alive.
- ignore: 'Ignore' is to disregard deliberately, the opposite of honoring publicly.
Commonly confused with
- celebrate: 'Celebrate' carries joyful, festive connotations, whereas 'commemorate' can be solemn, reverent, or memorial.
Word family
- commemoration (noun): The act of remembering or honoring.
- commemorative (adjective): Serving as a memorial or tribute.
Collocations
- commemorate an anniversary
- commemorate the memory
- plaque to commemorate
- ceremony to commemorate
Example sentences
- "A plaque was erected to commemorate the bravery of the firefighters who served during the disaster." Public History
- "They gathered every autumn to commemorate the founding of their historic institute." Literature
Memory hook
COM (together) + MEMOR (memory) = coming together to share a memory. Bring memories together in honor.
When not to use
Do not use for informal or trivial partying; use 'celebrate' instead for lighthearted gatherings.
Fun facts
- Commemorative coins have been minted since ancient Roman times to mark military victories and emperors' accessions.
Also appears in
- Travel & Culture → Festivals & Celebrations
- Time & History → Memory & Forgetting
- Time & History → Commemoration & Remembrances
- Romance, Dating & Marriage → Honeymoons & Anniversaries
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Funerals, Wakes & Memorials
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Retirement Celebrations
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → National Independence Days
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