commemorate
kuh-MEM-uh-rayt
kəˈmɛməreɪt
To recall and show respect for (someone or something) in a ceremony; to serve as a memorial to.
This is a public or formal act of remembering. It usually involves a monument, a holiday, or a ritual.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'commemorare,' meaning to bring to mind together. It implies a collective act of memory.
Word relationships
- honor: Honor is broader; commemorate specifically involves the act of keeping a memory alive.
- dishonor: Dishonor is to bring shame upon a memory.
Commonly confused with
- celebrate: Celebrate is usually joyful; commemorate can be solemn or sad.
Word family
- commemoration (noun): The action of remembering a person or event.
- commemorative (adjective): Acting as a memorial or mark of an event or person.
Collocations
- commemorate an anniversary
- plaque to commemorate
- ceremony to commemorate
Example sentences
- "The monument was built to commemorate the soldiers who fell in the Great War." History
- "Each year, the city holds a parade to commemorate its founding." Public event
Memory hook
Commemorate = Co-Memory. Remembering together. Public honor.
When not to use
Don't use this for casual, private remembering.
Fun facts
- Many countries use postage stamps to commemorate famous citizens or historical milestones.
Also appears in
- Travel & Culture → Festivals & Celebrations
- Time & History → Commemoration & Remembrances
- Occasions, Holidays & Parties → Birthdays & Aging
- 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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