# memo

/ˈmɛˌmoʊ/ (US) · /mˈɛməʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/memo
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. office note

noun · CEFR B1

a short written message or report used to share information with people in the same company.

For teachers: a brief written message or memorandum circulated within an organization to inform staff about a specific matter.

- 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.

### 2. computing

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a saved result of a calculation that a computer program can reuse later to work faster.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to send a note

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to send someone a short note or message to keep a record of something.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- The manager sent a memo about the new office hours.
- According to the internal memo, all staff members must complete the safety training by the end of the week.
- While digital communication has largely replaced paper, the formal memo remains a standard tool for documenting policy changes and ensuring a permanent record of corporate decisions.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.