commemorabilia means items that are created especially to honour or memorialize something, particularly an event, person, or institution. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 82 out of 100.
Why “commemorabilia” is a great word
COMMEMORABILIA — [Noun] Items, especially those collected, that are created with the explicit purpose of honoring or memorializing a specific event, person, or institution. From Latin commemorābilia, neuter plural of commemorābilis ("worthy of remembrance"), itself from commemorāre ("to call to mind, commemorate"). Unlike memorabilia, which broadly encompasses items of historical interest regardless of original intent, or souvenir, a personal and often mass-produced memento, commemorabilia is inherently and formally honorific. It is the heavy bronze medal struck for a centenary, cool to the touch; the crisp, serigraphed program for a memorial service; the limited-edition plaque affixed to a historic building—tangible proof that a moment was judged significant enough to be formally cast, printed, or engraved. These are the anchors for a memory the world has officially agreed not to forget.
noun
- Items that are created especially to honour or memorialize something, particularly an event, person, or institution.“By the time the wedding date rolled around on July 29, 1981, her face and his were on most of the 971 "items of commemorabilia" that somebody counted for sale across the country.”