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ἀνάμνησις

anámnēsis

G364 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Recollection, remembrance; the act of recalling something to mind, often in a deliberate or formal sense. In various contexts, it can refer to: (1) an act of remembering or calling something back to consciousness; (2) a memorial or commemoration intended to provoke remembering; (3) a reminder or act that keeps a person or event present in mind. Used in both secular and religious/formal settings to denote intentional recall or public commemoration.

Semantic Range

recollection, act of remembering, remembrance, memorial, commemoration, ritual recall, act of bringing to mind

Root / Etymology

From the verb ἀναμιμνήσκω (anamimnēskō, "to remind, to recall"), itself derived from ἀνα- (ana-, "up, again") + μιμνήσκω (mimnēskō, "to cause to remember"). The noun form is structured by the pattern of -σις (-sis), denoting an action or process. Related to μνήμη (mnēmē, "memory") and μνῆμα (mnēma, "memorial, monument").

Historical & Contextual Notes

In classical Greek, ἀνάμνησις generally refers to the act of recalling or remembrance, both in personal and public settings. In philosophical texts (e.g., Plato), the word can denote recollection in a philosophical or epistemological sense. In the Septuagint and Hellenistic literature, it is used for acts of commemoration, particularly those with a ritual or cultic dimension, such as sacrificial memorials. In early Christian and New Testament contexts (e.g., Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24-25), ἀνάμνησις appears in liturgical settings, especially regarding the commemoration of Jesus' actions at the shared meal. English translations often render it as "remembrance" or "memorial," which may not capture its active or formal dimension as an event or ritual to ensure continued recollection. Unlike simple memory (μνήμη), ἀνάμνησις more often denotes an active bringing-to-mind, sometimes in a specifically ritualized context. Not to be confused with μνησικακία (mnēsikakia), which refers to "holding a grudge" or "bearing memory of wrong." The term's use in the Septuagint and early Christian writings reflects its role in constituting collective memory and identity through ritual acts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from ἀναμιμνήσκω; recollection:--remembrance (again).

Root Family

ἀνάμνησις (anamnēsis) — recollection, remembrance, memorial, act of recalling

Root ἀναμιμν- to remind, to recall, to bring to mind

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
G364-01 ἀνάμνησιν anamnesin N ACC F SG remembrance act of remembrance remembrance 3
G364-02 ἀνάμνησις anamnesis N NOM F SG remembrance act of remembrance act of remembrance 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
G364-01 Luke 22:19 ἀνάμνησιν anamnesin N ACC F SG remembrance act of remembrance act of remembrance
G364-01 1 Corinthians 11:24 ἀνάμνησιν anamnesin N ACC F SG remembrance act of remembrance remembrance
G364-01 1 Corinthians 11:25 ἀνάμνησιν anamnesin N ACC F SG remembrance act of remembrance remembrance
G364-02 Hebrews 10:3 ἀνάμνησις anamnesis N NOM F SG remembrance act of remembrance act of remembrance
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