memory

noun

Etymology: From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria (“the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (to remember), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”) μέρμερος (mérmeros, “anxious”), μέριμνα (mérimna, “care, thought”), Old English ġemimor (“mindful, remembering”). More at mimmer. Doublet of memoir and memoria. Displaced native Old English myne (whence English min) and Old English ġemynd, which took on a different meaning as modern mind.

1. The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will.

   “Memory is a facility common to all animals.”

   “And they say goldfish have no memory. I guess their lives are much like mine. And the little plastic castle is a surprise every time.”

2. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by an organism.

   “I have no memory of that event.”

   “My wedding is one of my happiest memories.”

3. The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).

   “This data passes from the CPU to the memory.”

   “My first microcomputer had 12K of memory. When I expanded to a full 64K, I thought I had all the memory I'd ever need. Hah. I know better now.”

4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered.

   “in recent memory”

   “in living memory”

5. Of a material, which returns to its original shape when heated.

   “memory metal”

   “memory plastic”

6. A memorial.

   “These weeds are memories of those worser hours.”

7. Synonym of pelmanism (“memory card game”).

   “After he saw her a few more times, Mr. Cherkasky asked Ms. Cochrane out on a date in May 2008 to Central Park. He brought along some games to break the ice, and Ms. Cochrane brought cupcakes. They found a quiet place to sit and played Memory and Yahtzee, both of which were new to Ms. Cochrane.”

   “One example of that would be a memory game that I originally worked on with a friend of mine at Ovrflo Media some time ago. If you aren't familiar with the game of memory, it's a matching game where you are presented with several cards in the facedown position.”

8. A term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.