# memory

/ˈmɛmɝi/ (US) · /mˈɛməɹˌi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/memory
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. ability to remember

noun · CEFR A2

your ability to store and remember information in your mind.

For teachers: the cognitive faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information.

- He has a great memory for names and never forgets a face.
- As we age, our short-term memory may decline, though our ability to recall distant events often remains remarkably sharp.

### 2. a specific thought from the past

noun · CEFR A2

something that you remember from the past.

For teachers: a specific mental impression or record of a past event.

- I have fond memories of the summers we spent at the beach.
- The old photograph triggered a vivid memory of his childhood home, complete with the scent of pine needles and woodsmoke.

### 3. computer storage

noun · CEFR B1 · Technical

the part of a computer or phone where information is stored.

For teachers: the physical devices used to store programs or data on a temporary or permanent basis in a computer.

- My phone is slow because the memory is almost full.
- Upgrading the system's random-access memory allowed the workstation to handle complex video rendering without significant latency.

### 4. period of time remembered

noun · CEFR B2

the period of time that people can remember.

For teachers: the reach or period of time covered by the faculty of remembering.

- It was the worst storm in living memory.
- The village elders claimed that no drought in recent memory had been quite as devastating to the local harvest.

### 5. a group of elephants

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a special name for a group of elephants.

For teachers: a collective noun for a social group of elephants.

- We watched a memory of elephants walk slowly toward the water hole.
- The documentary highlighted the complex social bonds within a memory of elephants, emphasizing their long-term mourning rituals.

### 6. material property

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the ability of a material to return to its original shape.

For teachers: the property of a material, such as a polymer or alloy, to return to a previously defined shape when triggered by a stimulus like heat.

- These glasses are made of memory metal, so they don't break easily.
- The surgical stent was manufactured from a nickel-titanium alloy with shape memory, allowing it to expand once reaching body temperature.

## Examples

- She has a very good memory for names.
- The old laptop is slow because it does not have enough memory to run the new software.
- Childhood experiences often leave a lasting impression on one's memory, shaping personality and preferences well into adulthood.

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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.