memorist

Noun

memorist (plural memorists)

1. One who, or that which, causes to be remembered.
   • Though thou hadst the memory of Seneca or Simonides, and conscience the punctual memorist within us, yet trust not to thy remembrance in things which heed phylacteries.1682, Sir Thomas Browne, Christian Morals (published 1716)
   • A good interview allows the memorist enough room to construct a story,1987 September, Ronald J. Grele, “On using oral history collections: An introduction”, in The Journal of American History, volume 74, number 2
   1. One who writes or recites a history, biography, memoir, or similar work containing memories.
      • Discretion is a lost art with the memorist and we would hail its return with joy and relief.1901, “A Plea for Autobiography”, in Carina Campbell Eaglesfield, editor, Books Triumphant: Essays on Literature, page 39
      • I am quite aware of the charge of coxcombry which will be made against me for writing in such a way about my conquests, but when a man sets forth to tell the history of his life he must make up his mind to be impervious to two accustaions which are sure to be thrownn at the head of the truthful...1907, Roy Horniman, Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal, page 182
2. One who is capable of impressive feats of memory.
   • Still, Swann did sketch some details of the island, and memorizing aerial photographs of the entire planet would tax even the most clever memorist.1975, David Black, Ekstasy: Out-of-the-body Experiences, page 114
   • Our ethics professor is the most remarkable memorist we have ever met; in fact, his abilities to recall things are remarkable.1992, Lynn Beene, Gerry McBroom, William J. Vande Kopple, The Riverside Handbook, page 202
3. One who remembers a particular thing or in a particular way.
   • I do not find how his excellency can be justly censured for favouring none but high-church, high-flyers, termagants, laudists, sacheverellians, tip-top-gallon-men, jaocobites, tantivys, anti-hanoverians, friends to popery and the pretender and to arbitrary power, disobligers of England, breakers of...1784, Jonathan Swift, Thomas Sheridan, The Works of the Rev. Dr. Jonathan Swift, page 256
   • it might nevertheless send a young Music Memorist into the Contest whose card of results would be better than any others.1925, The Australian Musical News - Volume 14, page 7