WORD OF DAY: COMMEMORATE
verb | kuh-MEM-uh-rayt
What It Means
Something, such as a plaque, statue, or parade, is said to commemorate an event, person, etc. when it serves as a memorial; it exists or is done in order to recall the event or person. A person or group commemorates an event, person, etc. by doing something special in order to remember and honour that event or person.
// The plaque commemorates the battle that took place here 200 years ago.
// Each year on this date we commemorate our ancestors with a special ceremony.
Examples of COMMEMORATE
“Over the past year, members of the Vietnamese community have hosted a series of 50 events to commemorate the 50 years since they arrived in New Orleans. They have ranged from cooking classes and festivals to art shows and panel discussions. Last week, more than 500 Vietnamese Americans from across the United States gathered for the 50th reunion of former residents of the fishing region, Phuoc Tinh, located in Vietnam.” — Sophia Germer, The New Orleans Advocate, 11 Apr. 2025.
Did You Know?
When you remember something, you are mindful of it. And you are especially mindful when you commemorate something, formalising your remembrance by doing something special, such as attending a parade or taking part in a ceremony. It’s appropriate, therefore, that commemorate and other related memory-associated words (including memorable, memorial, remember, and memory itself) come from the Latin root memor, meaning “mindful.” English speakers have been marking the memory of important events with commemorate since the late 16th century.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary
