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Memorandum: Definition, Usage & Examples (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：internal note (memorandum)

memorandum 🔊

/ˌmeməˈrændəm/

A short, official note or message written within an organization to give information, make a request, or record a decision.

Memorandum meaning illustrated: professional reading an internal office memo.

internal note 🔊

➕

/ɪnˈtɜːrnl noʊt/

A brief, formal document used within a company or organization to communicate information, instructions, or decisions.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'memorandus', meaning 'to be remembered', from 'memorare' (to bring to remembrance).

💡 Mnemonic

Think of a MEMO you RANDOMly find on your desk that you must remember (memor-). Memo-randum.

📖 Example

I almost missed the meeting because I didn't check the internal memorandum about the new schedule. 🔊 The reason I nearly missed the meeting was my failure to review the official internal note detailing the updated schedule.

🔗 Collocations

internal memorandum – An official note circulated within a single organization.

issue a memorandum – To formally send out or publish an official note.

circulate a memorandum – To distribute an official note to relevant parties.

🔄 Synonyms

memo (n.) – A common, abbreviated form of memorandum used in informal business contexts.

note (n.) – A brief written record, can be less formal than a memorandum.

directive (n.) – An official instruction or order, often issued as a memorandum.

🚫 Antonyms

verbal agreement (n.) – An understanding reached through spoken words, not recorded in a written note.

informal chat (n.) – A casual, unstructured conversation, the opposite of a formal written communication.

🌱 Derivatives

memoranda (n.) – The traditional plural form of memorandum.

memorial (n.) – Something, especially a structure, established to remind people of a person or event.

📖 Cultural Story

Derived from Latin, 'memorandum' originally meant 'something to be remembered'. It entered English legal and business parlance in the 15th century to denote a note recording a future commitment or a point for consideration, solidifying its role in formal communication.

Meaning 2：written agreement (memorandum)

memorandum 🔊

/ˌmeməˈrændəm/

A written agreement between two or more parties that records the details of an understanding, but is less formal than a contract.

Memorandum of Understanding scene: business handshake over a formal agreement document.

written agreement 🔊

➕

/ˈrɪtn əˈɡriːmənt/

A document that records the preliminary terms of an agreement between parties, often serving as a basis for a future formal contract.

📁 Category：Laws & Regulations 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The two tech companies signed a memorandum of understanding to explore a potential joint venture in renewable energy. 🔊 The two technology firms entered into a written agreement to investigate the possibility of a collaborative business project in the field of renewable energy.

🔗 Collocations

memorandum of understanding (MOU) – A formal agreement between two or more parties outlining their mutual goals and cooperation.

sign a memorandum – To formally agree to and execute a written preliminary agreement.

draft a memorandum – To prepare or write the initial version of a formal agreement.

🔄 Synonyms

agreement (n.) – A broader term for any arrangement or harmony of opinion between parties.

protocol (n.) – A formal procedure or system of rules, often documented in an initial agreement.

accord (n.) – An official agreement or treaty, can be synonymous with a formal memorandum.

🚫 Antonyms

contract (n.) – A fully binding and legally enforceable agreement, more formal than a memorandum.

disagreement (n.) – A lack of consensus or accord, the opposite state of having a memorandum.