‖ memorabilia
(ˌmɛmərəˈbɪlɪə)
[neut. pl. of L. memorābilis memorable.]
Memorable or noteworthy things. Also (rare) sing. ‖ memorabile (mɛməˈreɪbɪliː), something memorable.
The currency of the word in Eng. may be due to its use as the Latin title of Xenophon's ‘Recollections’ (ἀποµνηµονεύµατα) of Socrates.
| 1806–7 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life (1826) ii. Introd., Let us at once produce our memorabilia and proceed to exchange their contents. 1826 Scott Diary 14 Sept. in Lockhart, I should not have forgotten, among the memorabilia of yesterday, that two young Frenchmen made their way to our sublime presence. 1830–2 Memorabile [see memorable B. quot. 1823]. 1878 Spurgeon Treas. Dav. Ps. cxi. 4 The coming out of Egypt, the sojourn in the wilderness, and other memorabilia of Israel's history. |
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Add: 2. concr. Objects serving as reminders of memorable times, people, events, etc.; souvenirs. orig. U.S.
| 1890 in Cent. Dict. 1900 Dialect Notes II. 46 Memorabil, i.e. memorabilia..n., photographs, programmes, old examination papers, and the like, collected during college days, and kept as souvenirs. 1950 S. J. Perelman Swiss Family Perelman v. 79 The very room Captain Bligh occupied after his epochal longboat voyage from the South Pacific to Timor, containing some exceptional memorabilia. 1974 Times 4 Jan. 2/6 The exhibition has been augmented by material from private collections of Colditz memorabilia. 1987 Cornwall Rev. July 3/4 Inside the house can be seen photographs, press cuttings and other memorabilia giving an insight to the artist's personal and professional life. |