An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

1. (adj.) Assisting or intended to assist the → memory.
   

2. (adj.) Pertaining to → mnemonics or to memory.
   

3. (n.) Something intended to assist the memory, as a verse or formula. For example, “Oh, Be A Fine Girl, Kiss Me Right Now Sweetheart!” is a mnemonic for the sequence of stellar → spectral types.

Etymology (EN): From Gk. mnemonikos “of or pertaining to memory,” from mnemon “remembering, mindful,” from mnasthai “remember,” from PIE base *men- “to think;” cf. Pers. man-, -mân, minu, → idea.

Etymology (PE): Yâdsepâr, stem of Yâdsepârdan “memorize,” from yâd “remembrance, recollection, memory” (Mid.Pers. ayâd) + sepârdan, sepor- “to yield, give, hand over” (Mid.Pers. abespâr- “to hand over, entrust;” cf. O.N. spara, O.H.G. sparon, O.E. sparian, E. spare); yâdsepârik, → mnemonics.