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memorialis

Etymology and origin of the Latin word memorialis

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Suetonius
Ultimate origin
Latin (memor)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [mɛ.mɔ.riˈaː.lɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [me.mo.riˈaː.lis][1]

Forms

memoriālis (neuter memoriāle); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from memoria “memory” with the suffix -ālis.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Suetonius, of a book of memoranda.[2] Köbler dates Suetonius c. 75–c. 150 AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

Liber memoriālis was a book of records, a memorandum book, as in Suetonius; an inscription has cubiculum memoriāle, a memorial chamber.[2] Lewis & Short call it post-Augustan.[5] In Justinian's Code memoriālis was a historiographer.[6]

In Medieval Latin a liber memoriālis was an obituary book.[7] British Medieval Latin used it of memory, and of the part of the brain that holds memory.[8] Through Old French memorial it gave English memorial in the late 14th century.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 75–c. 150 AD – Suetonius uses it.[2][4]
  • 528–534 AD – Justinian's Code uses it of a historiographer.[6][4]
  • late 14th century – English memorial is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of memory, liber memoriālis, a memorandum book.[2]
  2. Memorial, commemorative.[2]

Noun

  1. A historiographer.[6]

Word family

  • memoriāle

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Memorialis.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/memorialis. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·