The informal, “memo”, is pluralized with a more modernized English pluralization, “memos”. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. "memorandum, memoranda." Here are some great examples of the word memorandum being used in the right context. They can be used in terms of a transaction or to document research reports within a company’s accounting department. Grammar.com. he received an eviction notice). Its plural is either memoranda or memorandums. The neuter of memorandus is actually memorandum, gerundive of memorare, which is the word that we get our modern “memo”, or memo-ran-dum, from. : memo; from Latin memorandum est, "It must be remembered") is a written message that may be used in a business office. 12 Nov. 2020. Its plural is either memoranda or memorandums. It is sometimes commenced with this word, though written in English; as "Memorandum, that it is agreed," or it is headed with the words, "Be it remembered that," &c. Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. Memos are great for making official and unofficial requests both up and down the corporate chain of command. The plural form of the Latin noun memorandum so derived is properly memoranda, but if the word is deemed to have become a word of the English language, the plural memorandums, abbreviated to memos, may be used. However, let’s dive into how to use it properly. After all, most communication takes place in reports, emails, and instant messages. To fully understand how to properly implement the word memorandum into your vocabulary, it is important to understand its plural, different examples of the word, its definition, and history, its etymology, and to be able to compare it to other words that roughly mean the same thing. Once you get all that under your belt, you will practically be ready to write a memorandum yourself! He can be found online here. The best way to begin is with its definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly. In fact, memorandums now predominates. Singular Nonbinary ‘They’: Is it ‘they are’ or ‘they is’? A memorandum of association is also important during the founding of a company. The word memorandum can be a complicated word to understand that only Google can understand, and its grammar is a little bit unique because of its origin. Can we count on you to read this article? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible). is an informal written record of an agreement that has not yet become official. Many words in modern English actually get their roots from ancient Latin and Greek, and sometimes, as in this case, they are actually not changed at all. Find more words! Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way. School officials noted that the limitations on social distancing were spelled out in an August 20, They were presciently summarized in a 1981, That left open the door for the judges in the other cases to rule on other aspects of the president's, The court granted a permanent injunction blocking the rule but did not decide if the president's July, More than a half dozen other lawsuits have been filed in tandem across the country, challenging Mr. Trump's, Post the Definition of memorandum to Facebook, Share the Definition of memorandum on Twitter. #Singular memoranda Here's the word you're looking for. The etymology, or word history, behind the word memorandum actually reaches as far back as ancient Rome. Formal and Informal Memoranda. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memorandum, http://web.mit.edu/course/21/21.guide/memo.htm, https://www.etymonline.com/word/memorandum, https://thewordcounter.com/what-does-ps-mean/, https://thewordcounter.com/midnight-and-noon/, https://thewordcounter.com/blog-common-grammar-mistakes/, The Plural of Mouse: Here’s What It Is and How to Use It, The Plural of Hoof: Here’s What It Is and How to Use It, The Plural of Hippopotamus: Here’s What It Is and How to Use It, The Plural of Memorandum: Here’s What It Is and How to Use It. Although some commentators warn against the use of memoranda as a singular and condemn the plural memorandas, our evidence indicates that these forms are rarely encountered in print. these are: He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. The plural form of memorandum of understanding is memoranda of understanding or memorandums of understanding . A memorandum of agreement or memorandum of understanding is just a formal agreement between two parties, and is often used in diplomatic communication, “Have you received the memorandum yet that outlines the new vacation policy here at the company?”, “Who sent that email memorandum about the break room?”, “Did we sign that memorandum with the construction company about the new addition?”, “We keep track of expenses here by way of endless memoranda.”, “If Tyler sends me another email, it will just go in the memoranda folder with the rest of the PDF’s that he decides we all need to read.”, “Those memos were supposed to be on his desk about three days ago!”, “The executive board drafted several memos after the company was acquired.”, Directive: effectively means the same thing, but also is used to describe a more authoritative memorandum. And who knows, maybe now you will even be able to write them yourself as you advance in your career field. 'All Intensive Purposes' or 'All Intents and Purposes'? Learn a new word every day. However, because English steals grammatical concepts from just about every other language, the pluralization of our words typically just derive from other languages as well. 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1, Middle English, to be remembered, from Latin, neuter of memorandus, gerundive of memorare. The last way to decide whether or not you are using a word correctly is to refer to a thesaurus substitute a synonym in its place to determine if the synonym fits as well. We have a little evidence of the confusion of forms, including use of memorandum as a plural, in speech (as at congressional hearings). Improve your grammar, vocabulary, and writing -- and it's FREE! A memo can generalize communication in a standard way throughout an organization, making sure that everyone is on the same page, serving as an organization-wide internal communication. Memoranda is another way of report writing in which an informal message is sent from individual to another within the same company, concerning company business. How to use a word that (literally) drives some pe... Do you know what languages these words come from? The best way to begin is with its definition from the. It’s now more important than ever to develop a powerful writing style. Accessed 12 Nov. 2020. However, let’s dive into how to use it properly. You basically know everything you need to know to begin using the word memorandum in your vocabulary. STANDS4 LLC, 2020. Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free! Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words? He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! Check your text and writing for style, spelling and grammar problems everywhere on the web! The word memorandum is singular. However, since the word derives from the Latin (which will be discussed later), its plural memoranda rather than memorandums is because of how Latin memorandum and other nouns are pluralized. Many usage guides have taken pains to warn their readers of a potential problem with the plural of memorandum. Just like many other nouns in the English language, the plural can be the most difficult part to understand. Good luck! Here are some of the most basic synonyms for memorandum: If you have made it to the end of this short little article, then congratulations! It also has Middle English roots, meaning to “to be remembered.”.