An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. The faculty of the mind to preserve and recall past sensations, thoughts, knowledge, etc.
   

2. In computers and recording instruments, any device into which information can be introduced and later extracted.

Etymology (EN): M.E. memorie, from L. memoria, from memor “mindful, remembering;” cf. Gk. mermera “care,” merimna “anxious thought, sorrow,” martyr “witness;” Pers. šomârdan “to count;” Mid.Pers. ôšmârtan, ôšmurtan “to reckon, calculate, enumerate, account for;” from Av. base (š)mar- “to have in mind, remember, recall,” pati-šmar- “to recall; to long for,” hišmar-;
Skt. smar- “to remember, become aware,” smarati “he remembers.”

Etymology (PE): Barm “memory,” variant bar (az bar kardan “to memorize”), bir, vir,
from Mid.Pers. varm “memory,” variants vir, vârom “mind, conscience;” from Av. vārəma, vārəm “according to one’s wishes,” from var- “to choose.”