What does reminisce mean?
Reminisce means to remember and reflect on people, places, events, or experiences from the past. It is especially associated with sharing memories that evoke pleasure, warmth, or nostalgia, although the word can also describe a more thoughtful recollection of difficult or significant experiences. The common pattern “reminisce about” is followed by a period, person, or experience: someone may reminisce about school, childhood, travel, or an earlier stage of a career. It is a useful alternative to “remember” when the act of recalling also involves reflection, conversation, or nostalgia. Reminisce can be used in ordinary speech as well as in literary and historical writing, and it is not restricted to either British or American English. Its Latin-derived history gives the word a slightly polished, traditional character without making it especially formal.
verbTo remember and think about people, places, or events from the past, especially with pleasure or nostalgia. It often involves sharing or reflecting on past experiences.
- To remember, reflect on, or talk about people, places, and events from the past, especially with pleasure or nostalgia.
"The old friends gathered around the fire to reminisce about their university days."
"She often reminisces about her childhood summers by the lake."
"In his memoirs, the retired musician reminisces about the musicians who shaped his career."
From Latin, meaning “to call to mind,” reminisce is the perfect word for the warm, nostalgic glow of looking backward.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reminisce come from?
Reminisce comes from Latin reminiscere, meaning “to remember” or “to call to mind.” The word entered English in the early nineteenth century, when it was associated with the deliberate recollection of earlier experiences. Related forms such as reminiscence and reminiscent preserve the same Latin root, while remembrance also reflects the broader family of Latin words concerned with remembering.
Related word forms
How reminisce is actually used
Reminisce is neutral in register but often conveys a warm, reflective, or nostalgic tone. “Reminisce about” is the most established construction; the verb can also be used more directly, as in “reminisce the old days.” Pronunciation and usage are broadly similar in British and American English.
Easily confused with reminisce
Reminisce is a verb meaning to remember or talk about the past, while reminiscence is a noun meaning a recollection or an experience that brings back memories of the past.