different between commemorate vs memorialize

English

Etymology

From Latin commemorare, from com- + memorare (“to remind of”); see memory.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k??m?m???e?t/

Verb

commemorate (third-person singular simple present commemorates, present participle commemorating, simple past and past participle commemorated)

1. (transitive) To honour the memory of someone or something with a ceremony or object.
   • 2009, Naava Piatka, No Goodbyes: A Father-Daughter Memoir of Love, War and Resurrection, page 98:

     On the anniversary of Korczak's murder, Israel commemorated him with a special postal issue. As a stamp collector and philatelic columnist, it pleased me greatly when other countries followed Israel's example in honoring him.

2. (transitive) To serve as a memorial to someone or something.

Synonyms

• memorialize

Derived terms

• commemorative
• commemoration
• decommemorate

Translations

Italian

Verb

commemorate

1. second-person plural present indicative of commemorare
2. second-person plural imperative of commemorare
3. feminine plural of commemorato

Latin

Verb

commemor?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of commemor?

English

Alternative forms

• memorialise (UK)

Etymology

memorial +? -ize

Verb

memorialize (third-person singular simple present memorializes, present participle memorializing, simple past and past participle memorialized)

1. (US) To provide a memorial for someone; to commemorate
2. (law) To create a written record of a meeting or conversation.
3. (transitive, dated) To petition with a memorial, or statement of facts.
   • 1855-57, Charles Dickens, Little Dorrit

     Why, you'll—you'll ask till they tell you. Then you'll memorialize that Department (according to regular forms which you'll find out) for leave to memorialize this Department.

Derived terms

• memorialization
• memorializer

Translations