-s ə n(t)s noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French reminiscence, from Late Latin reminiscentia (translation of Greek anamnēsis, literally, recollection, remembrance), from Latin reminiscent-, reminiscens + -ia — more at reminiscent
1. : the apprehension of a form (as an idea) as if it had been known in a previous existence
2.
a. : the recall to mind of a long-forgotten experience or fact
b. : the process or practice of thinking or telling about past experiences
after another quarter of an hour of reminiscence they had got around to the things that had happened to each of them since they had last met — Mary Austin
3.
a. : a remembered experience
b. : an oral or written account of a memorable experience
the reminiscence of his trip into the family vault … borders on the macabre — F.E.Coenen
— often used in plural
published the reminiscences of the old settler
4. : something (as a phrase, custom, feature) so suggestive of something else as to be regarded as an unconscious repetition, imitation, or survival
5. : improvement of the memory for an experience despite the lapse of time since that experience
Synonyms: see memory