Meaning & use
in memoriam
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
Used before a dead person's name, or as a title, to honor and keep alive their memory.
Grammar: Usually precedes a name or heads a notice: in memoriam Elena Ruiz.
Patterns
- in memoriam + name
- a page in memoriam
- dedicated in memoriam
The concert program printed in memoriam Ana Becker beneath her photograph.
A plaque by the library door reads in memoriam Dr. Samuel Ito.
The scholarship was founded in memoriam of three lost crew members.
Common combinations
- in memoriam plaque
- An in memoriam plaque was placed near the main entrance.
- in memoriam notice
- The newspaper published a short in memoriam notice.
- in memoriam donation
- The family suggested an in memoriam donation to the hospice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- in memory of
- The natural English equivalent; in memoriam is more formal and often printed.
- obituary
- A full notice of a person's death and life, not just a dedicatory phrase.
Word family
Commonly confused: in memoriam or memorandum?
in memoriam vs memorandum
A memorandum is a note or official message; in memoriam is a dedication to someone who died.
Practice
Which use of in memoriam is correct?
Choose one answer.
In memoriam honors a person who has died, so naming the scholarship after Maria Chen fits. It cannot introduce weather, cancel a meeting, or season food.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “in memoriam”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.