Word
Definitions
01office note
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a short written message or report used to share information with people in the same company.
n. a brief written message or memorandum circulated within an organization to inform staff about a specific matter.
Español:memo
“The manager sent a memo to all staff about the new holiday policy.”
“The internal memo outlined the restructuring plan in detail, ensuring that every department head was aware of the upcoming budgetary shifts.”
Synonyms
02computing
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a saved result of a calculation that a computer program can reuse later to work faster.
n. a record of partial results stored in memory to be reused later, avoiding the need for redundant recomputation.
“The program uses a memo to store the answer so it doesn't have to calculate it again.”
“By implementing a memo for the recursive function, the developer significantly reduced the execution time of the complex algorithm.”
Usage
Often used in the context of 'memoization' in functional programming.
Synonyms
03to send a note
B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal
v. to send someone a short note or message to keep a record of something.
v. to send a memorandum or brief note to a person, typically for the purpose of official documentation.
“I will memo the team about the change in our meeting time.”
“The director decided to memo the board regarding the legal risks before the final vote took place.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “memo” in context.
Verb
01. circulate a memo
“The HR department will circulate a memo regarding the new remote work policy by the end of the day.”
verb + noun
02. issue a memo
“The CEO issued a memo to all staff members clarifying the company's stance on the merger.”
verb + noun
03. leak a memo to the press
“A disgruntled employee leaked a confidential memo to the press, causing a public relations crisis.”
verb + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. confidential memo
“Please ensure that this confidential memo is stored in a secure folder.”
adj + noun
05. internal memo
“The internal memo was intended only for senior management, but it was accidentally sent to the whole team.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. briefing memo
“The consultant prepared a briefing memo to summarize the key findings of the market research.”
noun + noun
07. memo of understanding
“The two tech giants signed a memo of understanding to collaborate on the new AI project.”
noun + of + noun
Real-World Examples
“Stewart shares internal Monsanto memos from as long ago as 1949 that suggest the firm knew how dangerous PCBs were.” “In a memo seen by the BBC, Air India said it was "important to go further" in its testing.” “The memo also revealed the FBI explored recruiting Fang, who was codenamed “Rusty Thumbs” by the G-men, because her parents were Chinese intelligence officers.” Etymology
Clipping of memorandum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. get the memo
02. miss the memo
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/memo
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0