A memento or keepsake acquired as a reminder of a visit to a place or event. Something kept as a tangible memory of an experience.
Borrowed from French 'souvenir' meaning 'to remember,' ultimately from Latin 'subvenire' meaning 'to come to mind' or 'to occur.' The word entered English in the 18th century as tourism and travel became more common among the wealthy classes.
The word souvenir literally means 'to remember' in French, making every tourist trinket a small invitation to memory. Interestingly, the human brain often associates physical objects more strongly with memories than abstract recollections, which explains why souvenirs can instantly transport us back to specific moments and places.
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