reminiscentn.
/ˌrɛmᵻˈnɪsnt/, U.S. /ˌrɛməˈnɪs(ə)nt/ A recounter or writer of reminiscences.
ΘΚΠ
society > leisure > the arts > literature > prose > narrative or story > biography > [noun] > biographer > writer of autobiography or memoirs
memoir-writer1763
memoirist1769
autobiographer1807
autobiographist1820
reminiscent1822
1822 C. Butler Reminisc. I. i. 4 No one ever discovered a passion for literature at an earlier hour in his life than the Reminiscent.
1837 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 42 76 This reminiscent is not a good converser.
1869 W. Bagehot Lit. Stud. (1879) II. 331 It is the excellence of a reminiscent to have a few good stories.
1928 Amer. Speech 3 203 It is true that I can not find the passage which most pioneers and reminiscents believe existed.
1997 Independent (Nexis) 18 Jan. 32 People's Century..deals with the mass juvenile revolt that culminated in the events of 1968—a time when, according to one of our reminiscents, ‘the best way to seduce a girl is to talk about Trotsky or revolution’.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
reminiscentadj.
/ˌrɛmᵻˈnɪsnt/, U.S. /ˌrɛməˈnɪs(ə)nt/ 1. † b. Having a recollection of something. Obsolete.
a. Relating to or characterized by reminiscence; capable of reminiscence; (also) given to reminiscing. Also figurative.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > retrospection, reminiscence > [adjective]
retrospective1664
reminiscent1699
retrospicient1702
retrospectory1813
retracing1818
reminiscitory1828
1699 T. Burnet Third Remarks on Ess. 20 Neither do I see a Capacity in any Part of the Body for Memory or Remembrance... Take what part you please to be Cogitant and Reminiscent.
1751 R. Whytt Ess. Motions of Animals 284 We are endued with four souls, namely, with a rational, a reminiscent, an active, and a sentient one.
1765 Universal Mag. 37 356/2 Men, in their sentient, imaginative, and reminiscent part,..are..subject to diseases.
1798 W. Belcher Intellect. Electr. 46 I have said that my reminiscent, as well as fresh ideas, are adventitious.
1837 R. Southey Doctor IV. 315 The Biographer, or Historian,..or rather the reminiscent relator of circumstances.
1855 W. Bagehot Lit. Stud. (1879) I. 1 The evident fiction of reminiscent age—striving and failing to remember.
1894 G. Du Maurier Trilby II. 22 A tarnishing breath had swept over the reminiscent mirror of his mind.
1921 N.Y. Tribune 21 July 10/5 Frankie smiled, happily reminiscent, as she blew a cloud of smoke toward the adoring Great Collegian.
1973 J. Kett Tha's Rum'un, Bor! Foreword When he writes in reminiscent vein, his poems evince a nostalgia—a yearning to go back, if only, alas, in the mind, to those days of contentment.
2006 Calgary (Alberta) Herald (Nexis) 28 Sept. b4 ‘I'm feeling reminiscent,’ says..an emergency room nurse. ‘It's sad to leave the place where you've worked for years.’
ΚΠ
1830 Fraser's Mag. 1 151 A more perfect state of being—a state of which it is reminiscent and anticipant.
a1856 W. Hamilton Lect. Metaphysics (1859) II. xxxiv. 278 Some other state of existence, of which we have been previously conscious and are now reminiscent.
2. Of the nature of reminiscence or reminiscences; consisting of or containing reminiscence.In quot. 1863: remembered, recollected.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > retrospection, reminiscence > [adjective] > characterized by reminiscence
reminiscential1646
remindful1797
meminiscent1812
reminiscent1828
nostalgic1838
reminiscenceful1889
1828 R. Montgomery Puffiad ii. 56 Hence reminiscent rubbish, picked from brains Addled and heavy with their rakish pains.
1848 Dolman's Mag. 7 72 Poor famished needle-women..strike the balance in favour of a glass of gin, that sends them to bed in a dreamy reminiscent state of better and happier days.
1863 Cornhill Mag. Mar. 391 Some of the charms of youth reminiscent in the grey dignity of acknowledged age.
1892 Independent 25 Nov. 220/2 The talk on the way was reminiscent.
1913 J. Conrad Chance i. iii. 92 I, far from indulging in a reminiscent excursion into the past, remained..in the present.
1953 D. Thomas Let. 6 Jan. (1987) 862 I could..write to a friend on the B.B.C. to gather together the reminiscent broadcasts.
1998 Evening Herald (Plymouth) (Nexis) 14 Sept. 23 Classes..from Salisbury Road Secondary School..met at the Imperial Suite, Bath Street, for a buffet, drink and a reminiscent chat.
3. Evoking a reminiscence of a person or thing; that reminds a person of something else.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > retrospection, reminiscence > [adjective] > evoking reminiscence of
reminiscent1831
nostalgic1937
1831 W. Carpenter Polit. Lett. & Pamphlets 13/2 John roared out, in a voice reminiscent of the good old days of roast beef and plum-puddings for Mr. Grubb and his two friends to get out of his light.
1880 Academy 13 Nov. 352 He is strangely reminiscent of Millais.
1891 Speaker 2 May 527/2 The verse..is..reminiscent of the style of Rowe.
1923 D. A. Mackenzie Myths China & Japan x. 147 This Spinning Maiden, who weaves the net of the constellations, is reminiscent of the Egyptian sky-goddess, Hathor (or Nut), whose body is covered with stars.
1976 S. M. Gault Dict. Shrubs in Colour 167/1 A graceful deciduous shrub whose arching branches are wreathed..with slightly cup shaped rich yellow flowers reminiscent of buttercups.
2003 Independent 17 Jan. i. 20/4 Her pupils will best remember her silhouetted against the bay window of her college sitting-room, in feline repose reminiscent of her Siamese cat.
Derivatives
remiˈniscently adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > memory > retrospection, reminiscence > [adverb] > in a reminiscent manner
reminiscently1849
for old sake's sake1857
nostalgically1888
memory lane1903
1849 H. Melville Mardi & Voy. Thither xxxviii. 147 ‘Where's now our old ship?’ he added reminiscently.
1920 E. Wharton Age of Innocence i. vi. 47 Miss Lannings, who lived..reminiscently among family portraits.
1977 ‘R. Sheldon’ in Analog June 66/1 Alan grinned reminiscently at his old friend's name.
2007 K. Greenwood Earthly Delights iv. 46 ‘Like Horatio that time the wolfhound came into the shop,’ she giggled reminiscently.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2009; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1822
adj.1699