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keepsake

KEEP-sayk /ˈkiːp.seɪk/

nounB2IELTS

informalliterary

A small item kept in memory of the person who gave it or the place/event where it was acquired.

Carries high sentimental, personal value rather than high financial worth.

The story behind the word. Coined in late eighteenth-century English as a literal compound: something kept 'for the sake of' the giver or the memory. In Victorian England, 'keepsake books'—lavishly illustrated collections of poems given as holiday gifts—became extremely popular.

Word relationships

memento: 'Memento' serves as a reminder of an event or place; 'keepsake' emphasizes a gift kept to remember a specific person.
souvenir: 'Souvenir' often implies a commercial object purchased while traveling; 'keepsake' is deeply personal.

discard: Something thrown away as useless.

Commonly confused with

heirloom: An heirloom is a valuable physical item passed down across generations; a keepsake can be any small token kept for emotional reasons.

Word family

keepsakes (noun): Plural token items.

Collocations

precious keepsake
cherished keepsake
keepsake box
family keepsake

Idioms & expressions

for keepsakes

Example sentences

"She kept her grandmother's silver locket as a treasured keepsake from her wedding day." Family History
"He bought a hand-carved wooden compass as a keepsake to remind him of his journey across Norway." Travel Narrative

Memory hook

KEEP it for the SAKE of the memory. Kept for the sake of love and memory.

When not to use

Do not use for expensive financial investments or practical utilitarian tools lacking personal memory.

Fun facts

In the 1800s, Victorian 'Keepsake' gift annuals were among the first literary bestsellers targeted specifically at women.