ENGLISH
REFERENCE

souvenir

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˌsuvəˈnɪɹ// UK //sˌuːvənˈiə// sou·venir

n. something you buy or keep to help you remember a holiday or a special event. It is usually a small object like a postcard, a shirt, or a local craft.

n. an object kept as a reminder of a person, place, or event. Often associated with tourism or significant life milestones.


SIMPLE

I bought a small model of the Eiffel Tower as a souvenir.

CONTEXTUAL

She filled her suitcase with local pottery and handmade lace to give as souvenirs to her family back home.

COMPLEX

While some travelers prefer digital photos, others find that a physical souvenir provides a more tactile connection to the memories of their journey across the continent.

Synonyms
Origin

Unadapted borrowing from French souvenir (literally “memory”). Compare memento.

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'of' to indicate the source or event ('a souvenir of Paris').

Pitfall

I bought a souvenir for remember my tripI bought a souvenir to remember my tripIn English, 'to' + infinitive is used to express purpose, whereas 'for' + -ing is generally used for the function of an object.

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