different between reminisce vs wistful

English

Etymology

Back-formation from reminiscence, from Latin remin?sc?ns, present participle of remin?scor (“remember”).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /???m.??n?s/

Verb

reminisce (third-person singular simple present reminisces, present participle reminiscing, simple past and past participle reminisced)

1. (intransitive) To recall the past in a private moment, often fondly or nostalgically.
2. (intransitive) To talk or write about memories of the past, especially pleasant memories.
3. (transitive, India) To remember fondly; to reminisce about.
   • 2006, Amitava Bhattacharya, Selected Novels of Sarat Chandra Chatterjee (page 34)

     He reminisced the old Parvati who was now this Parvati.

   • 2012, Satish C. Bhatnagar, Epsilons and Deltas of Life: Everyday Stories (volume 1, page 16)

     She fondly reminisced the two years before marriage when Frank served in the US Army.

Related terms

• remember
• reminiscence
• reminiscent
• reminiscential

Translations

Noun

reminisce (plural reminisces)

1. (informal) An act of reminiscence.

Latin

Verb

remin?sce

1. second-person singular present active imperative of remin?sc?

English

Etymology

Presumably from *whistful, from whist (“silent”) + -ful, based on older wistly. It is implausible that it derives from wishful, the required sound change being wishful ? *wisful ? wistful, which could not occur in Modern English, particularly not with wishful continuing in use. However, the sense of “longing” appears to be influenced by wishful, with wistful being an ambiguous poetic word.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?stf?l/

Adjective

wistful (comparative more wistful, superlative most wistful)

1. Full of longing or yearning.
2. Sad and thoughtful.

Translations

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “wistful”, in Online Etymology Dictionary