Meminisse

Meminisse is a Latin verb meaning to remember or recall. It is most often discussed in connection with meminī, the related verb whose meaning centers on memory, recollection, and mindful regard of past events, persons, or statements. In classical grammars meminī is noted for its unusual or defective behavior in the present system, which has led scholars to describe the verb as semi-deponent or irregular in its full tense formation. The forms that are widely cited come from the perfect system, while the present forms are limited and used primarily in contexts of memory or recollection rather than straightforward, active narration.

The word meminisse also exists as the perfect active infinitive of meminī. This infinitive is used in periphrastic constructions and in subordinate clauses to express having remembered something previously, often in relation to another event. Because meminī is a specialized verb with a restricted distribution of its tenses, meminisse functions primarily in hindsight or in discussions of memory, rather than as a general-purpose verb for everyday remembering.

In usage, memini and its derivatives occur in a range of Latin authors, including poets and prose writers, where memory or recollection plays a thematic role. The term is often encountered alongside related concepts of memory and remembrance in Latin literature, and it is typically examined within discussions of irregular or semi-deponent verbs, lexical semantics of memory, and the historical development of the Latin verb system.

See also: meminī, recordari, obliviscor, memoria.