English
mnemonic
Mnemonic may come from Late Latin mnemonicus.
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmnemonicusuncertain
- Englishtodaymnemonic
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEmnemonicusuncertain
- Englishtodaymnemonic
The story
Borrowed from Late Latin mnemonicus or its etymon Ancient Greek μνημονῐκός (mnēmonĭkós, “pertaining to memory or remembrance, memorial”) + English -ic (suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives). Mνημονῐκός (Mnēmonĭkós) is derived from μνήμων (mnḗmōn, “mindful, remembering”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, suffix meaning ‘of or pertaining to’ forming adjectives); while μνήμων (mnḗmōn) is from μνάομαι (mnáomai, “to be mindful, remember”) (from Proto-Indo-European *men- (‘to mind; to think’)) + -μων (-mōn, suffix forming adjectives and agent nouns).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *men- ‘to mind’
mind, music, money, amount, comment, mental, museum, remain, mouth, mountain, mention, auto, min, permanent, mount, monster, mentor, mint, maya, monitor, demonstration, muse, dementia, monetary, monument, menace, ming, mas, mandarin, mantra, imminent, monk, muster, prominence, monastery, monte, mania, eminent, mosaic, summon, 125 more
through Proto-Indo-European *mneh₂- ‘to remind’
through Ancient Greek μνάομαι ‘to be mindful, remember’
Another origin of mnemonic
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμνημονικόνmnēmonikón‘something used to help in remembering a thing’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmnēmonicum‘something used to help in remembering a thing’
- Englishtodaymnemonic
Noun sense 1 (‘something used to help in remembering a thing’) is borrowed from Latin mnēmonicum (‘something used to help in remembering a thing’), from Ancient Greek μνημονικόν (mnēmonikón, “something used to help in remembering a thing”), a noun use of the neuter form of μνημονῐκός (mnēmonĭkós, adjective): see etymology 1. Noun sense 3 (‘synonym of mnemonics’) is borrowed from Late Latin mnemonica, a noun use of the feminine form of mnemonicus: see etymology 1.
Today it means
adj Especially of a series of ideas, letters, words, etc.: intended to help in remembering.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Late Latin mnemonicus / mnemonic