Revised 2009 More entries for "remember"
rememberverb1
Factsheet
What does the verb remember mean?
There are 38 meanings listed in OED's entry for the verb remember, 20 of which are labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
remember has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
How common is the verb remember?
About 100occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 78 |
| 1760 | 76 |
| 1770 | 76 |
| 1780 | 76 |
| 1790 | 77 |
| 1800 | 80 |
| 1810 | 81 |
| 1820 | 94 |
| 1830 | 100 |
| 1840 | 95 |
| 1850 | 100 |
| 1860 | 110 |
| 1870 | 120 |
| 1880 | 120 |
| 1890 | 130 |
| 1900 | 130 |
| 1910 | 130 |
| 1920 | 130 |
| 1930 | 120 |
| 1940 | 120 |
| 1950 | 110 |
| 1960 | 92 |
| 1970 | 91 |
| 1980 | 100 |
| 1990 | 110 |
| 2000 | 130 |
| 2010 | 130 |
How is the verb remember pronounced?
British English
/rᵻˈmɛmbə/
ruh-MEM-buh
U.S. English
/rəˈmɛmbər/
ruh-MEM-buhr
/riˈmɛmbər/
ree-MEM-buhr
Where does the verb remember come from?
Earliest known use
Middle English
The earliest known use of the verb remember is in the Middle English period (1150—1500).
OED's earliest evidence for remember is from around 1350, in Apocalypse St. John: A Version.
remember is a borrowing from French.
Etymons: French remembrer.
Nearby entries
- remeditation, n.1642–
- remedless, adj.1590
- remedy, n.?c1225–
- remedy, v.1414–
- remeet, v.1609–
- remeid, n.1400–
- remeid, v.c1480–1865
- remeiding, n.c1880
- remelt, v.1626–
- remelting, n.1622–
- remember, v.¹c1350–
- re-member, v.²1855–
- rememberability, n.1839–
- rememberable, adj.c1450–
- rememberably, adv.1803–
- remembered, adj.c1425–
- rememberer, n.c1449–
- remembering, n.a1382–
- remembering, adj.c1449–
- remembery, n.1585–
- remembrance, n.c1330–
Etymology
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Meaning & use
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Pronunciation
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Forms
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Frequency
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Compounds & derived words
Thank you for visiting Oxford English Dictionary
To continue reading, please sign in below or purchase a subscription. After purchasing, please sign in below to access the content.
Institutional access
Institutional account management
Entry history for remember, v.¹
remember, v.¹ was revised in December 2009.
remember, v.¹ was last modified in March 2024.
oed.com is a living text, updated every three months. Modifications may include:
- further revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into remember, v.¹ in March 2024.
Earlier versions of this entry were published in:
OED First Edition (1906)
OED Second Edition (1989)
Cite
Chicago
Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .
Copied to clipboard
MLA9
“” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, , .
Copied to clipboard
Contribute
Citation details
Factsheet for remember, v.¹
Browse entry
Nearby entries
- remeditation, n.1642–
- remedless, adj.1590
- remedy, n.?c1225–
- remedy, v.1414–
- remeet, v.1609–
- remeid, n.1400–
- remeid, v.c1480–1865
- remeiding, n.c1880
- remelt, v.1626–
- remelting, n.1622–
- remember, v.¹c1350–
- re-member, v.²1855–
- rememberability, n.1839–
- rememberable, adj.c1450–
- rememberably, adv.1803–
- remembered, adj.c1425–
- rememberer, n.c1449–
- remembering, n.a1382–
- remembering, adj.c1449–
- remembery, n.1585–
- remembrance, n.c1330–
