Origin: Latin suffix -ory
Memory has 6 different meanings across 1 category:
the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered
"he can do it from memory"
"he enjoyed remembering his father"
the power of retaining and recalling past experience
"he had a good memory when he was younger"
an electronic memory device
"a memory and the CPU form the central part of a computer to which peripherals are attached"
the area of cognitive psychology that studies memory processes
"he taught a graduate course on learning and memory"
The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later at will.
"After studying all night, I relied on my memory to recall every fact for the exam without looking at any notes."
In plain English: Memory is your brain's ability to store and recall past experiences and information.
"She kept a vivid memory of her grandmother's old house."
Usage: Use memory to refer to the brain's natural capacity to store and retrieve past experiences or facts without external aid. It describes the internal process of recalling information, not a physical object like a computer drive.
The word memory comes from Latin memoria, meaning the faculty of remembering or remembrance. It ultimately traces back to a Proto-Indo-European root (s)mer- that signifies to remember.