souvenir
- 01 A2 Elementary
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.
Simple“I bought a small model of the Eiffel Tower as a souvenir of my trip to Paris.”
In context“The shelf was crowded with various souvenirs, ranging from cheap plastic keychains to hand-painted ceramics collected over decades of international travel.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'of' to indicate the place or event being remembered.
- 02 C2 Proficiency
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.
Simple“He souvenired a menu from the restaurant to remember their first date.”
In context“During the retreat, several soldiers souvenired abandoned equipment, despite strict orders from their commanding officers against looting.”
UsageThis is a transitive verb and always requires a direct object.
Synonyms
Unadapted borrowing from French souvenir (literally “memory”). Compare memento.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.