memorise
UK[ˈmem.ə.raɪz]US[ˈmem.ə.raɪz]
v
To learn something so that you remember it exactly.
Morpheme Breakdown
memor
ise
memor
memory
ise
verb suffix
Etymology
The word 'memorise' originates from the Latin root memor, which means 'mindful' or 'remembering'. This root is itself derived from the Proto-Indo-European base (s)mer-, meaning 'to remember'. Combined with the productive verb-forming suffix '-ise', borrowed from Greek and Latin via French, the word literally means 'to make (something) mindful' or 'to commit to memory'. The modern abstract meaning retains this core logic, describing the cognitive act of imprinting information onto one's memory through deliberate effort.
Analysis
Structure: memor (memory) + ise (verb suffix)
'memor' is from Latin memor, meaning 'mindful, remembering'. 'ise' is a verb-forming suffix from Greek -izein via Latin -izare and French -iser, indicating 'to make, to become, to practice'.
Examples
She tried to memorise all the formulas before the exam.
Actors often have to memorise lengthy scripts in a short time.
I find it easier to memorise information when I associate it with a story.