memory

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman memorie, Old French memoire etc., from Latin memoria (“the faculty of remembering, remembrance, memory, a historical account”), from memor (“mindful, remembering”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer- (to remember), related to Ancient Greek μνήμη (mnḗmē, “memory”) μέρμερος (mérmeros, “anxious”), μέριμνα (mérimna, “care, thought”), Old English mimor (“mindful, remembering”). More at mimmer. Doublet of memoir and memoria. Displaced native Old English ġemynd.

noun

1. (uncountable) The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later at will.
   Memory is a facility common to all animals.
2. A record of a thing or an event stored and available for later use by the organism.
   I have no memory of that event.
   My wedding is one of my happiest memories.
3. (computing) The part of a computer that stores variable executable code or data (RAM) or unalterable executable code or default data (ROM).
   This data passes from the CPU to the memory.
   My first microcomputer had 12K of memory. When I expanded to a full 64K, I thought I had all the memory I'd ever need. Hah. I know better now. 1987-07-27, Jerry Pournelle, “Law of Expanding Memory: Applications Will Also Expand Until RAM Is Full”, in InfoWorld, volume 9, number 30, InfoWorld Media Group Inc, page 46
4. The time within which past events can be or are remembered.
   in recent memory
   in living memory
5. (attributive, of a material) Which returns to its original shape when heated
   memory metal
   memory plastic
6. (obsolete) A memorial.
7. Synonym of pelmanism (“memory card game”).
   After he saw her a few more times, Mr. Cherkasky asked Ms. Cochrane out on a date in May 2008 to Central Park. He brought along some games to break the ice, and Ms. Cochrane brought cupcakes. They found a quiet place to sit and played Memory and Yahtzee, both of which were new to Ms. Cochrane. 2010-07-30, Paula Schwartz, “Lyndsea Cochrane and Ethan Cherkasky”, in The New York Times
   One example of that would be a memory game that I originally worked on with a friend of mine at Ovrflo Media some time ago. If you aren't familiar with the game of memory, it's a matching game where you are presented with several cards in the facedown position. 2010, Jason Fincanon, “Advergaming and Applications”, in Flash Advertising: Flash Platform Development of Microsites, Advergames and Branded Applications, Burlington, MA: Focal Press, page 183
8. (zoology, collective, rare) A term of venery for a social group of elephants, normally called a herd.