Word
souvenir
Phoneticssou·venir
US/ˌsuvəˈnɪɹ/
UK/sˌuːvənˈiə/
Definitions
01a memento
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. something you buy or keep to help you remember a holiday, a place, or an event.
n. an object of sentimental value kept as a reminder of a specific location, occasion, or experience.
“I bought a small model of the Eiffel Tower as a souvenir of my trip to Paris.”
“The shelf was crowded with various souvenirs, ranging from cheap plastic keychains to hand-painted ceramics collected over decades of international travel.”
Usage
Often used with the preposition 'of' to indicate the place or event being remembered.
02to take as a reminder
C2 · Proficiency Informal
v. to take something so you can keep it as a memory, sometimes without permission.
v. to take an object for its sentimental or historical value, particularly in the context of war or travel; often implies taking something without formal permission.
“He souvenired a menu from the restaurant to remember their first date.”
“During the retreat, several soldiers souvenired abandoned equipment, despite strict orders from their commanding officers against looting.”
Usage
This is a transitive verb and always requires a direct object.
Synonyms
Etymology
Unadapted borrowing from French souvenir (literally “memory”). Compare memento.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL 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: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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