English Reference
adjective · noun

memorable

adj. · n.
US /ˈmɛmɝəbəɫ/ UK /mˈɛməɹəbəl/ mem·o·rable

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    adj.easy to remember because it is special, beautiful, or important.

    adj.describing something noteworthy or remarkable that makes a lasting impression on the memory.

    Simple

    The sunset over the ocean made for a truly memorable evening.

    In context

    The keynote speaker delivered a memorable address that challenged the audience to reconsider their assumptions about urban planning.

    Usage

    Commonly modifies nouns like 'experience', 'occasion', 'performance', or 'event'.

  2. 02 C2 Proficiency FormalLiterary

    n.a thing or event that is worth remembering.

    n.an entity, event, or piece of information considered significant enough to be recorded or remembered.

    Simple

    The book lists the year's memorables, from scientific breakthroughs to royal weddings.

    In context

    The archive serves as a repository for the town's memorables, preserving the oral histories of its oldest residents for future generations.

    Teacher's tip

    The noun form is rare in modern speech; students should focus on the adjective form for everyday use.

Photograph: Thomas McCammon for TarraWarra Museum of Art Another memorable event was a party where the hosts wheeled out a young man on a table, decorated like a cake.

The Guardian· 25 Aug 2026

It’s not really the four blokes on the zebra crossing who make the cover of the Beatles’ Abbey Road memorable, but the street behind them.

The Guardian· 22 Aug 2026

From Middle English memorable, memorrable, from Latin memorābilis, from memorō (“to bring to remembrance”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”). By surface analysis, memory + -able, see memory. Doublet of memorabile (singular of memorabilia).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin memorābilis
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated