# souvenir

/ˌsuvəˈnɪɹ/ (US) · /sˌuːvənˈiə/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. a memento

noun · CEFR A2

something you buy or keep to help you remember a holiday, a place, or an event.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. to take as a reminder

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal

to take something so you can keep it as a memory, sometimes without permission.

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- I bought a small model of the Eiffel Tower as a souvenir.
- She filled her suitcase with local pottery and handmade lace to give as souvenirs to her family back home.
- 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.

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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.