French word

commémorer

Pronunciation

IPA/komemoʁe/

Meaning

  • verbcommemorate

Example

Nous commémorons cette date chaque année.

We commemorate this date every year.

Illustration for commémorer (commemorate)

More examples

Ils commémorent les héros tombés pour la liberté.

They commemorate the heroes who fell for freedom.

Core concept

A public act that brings a person, event, or date into shared memory.

Common phrases

  • commémorer les victimes

    commemorate the victims

  • commémorer les héros

    commemorate the heroes

Similar words

se souvenir de: Recall a past event or person in one's mind.
parler de: Mention an event or person in conversation.
célébrer: Celebrate an occasion or event with festivities or a feast.
honorer: Show respect for and praise a person or event.

Definition in French

Rendre hommage par des cérémonies ou des gestes publics afin de garder le souvenir d'une personne, d'un événement ou d'une date.

Word origin

Commémorer comes from Latin commemorare, built from com- ('together') and memorare ('to recall'), and entered French as a learned formation.

Usage tips

  • Commémorer is transitive, so a direct object follows it without a preposition, as in commémorer cette date.

Other meanings

  • memorializeverb

Opposites

Related words

  • commémorécommemoratedadjective
  • commémorationcommemorationnoun

Word lists with this word