Definition

Adjective: * Good at remembering; having or showing the ability to recall past events or information clearly and easily. This word describes a person, mind, or faculty that is characterized by strong, reliable memory.

Usage

The adjective "recollective" is used to describe the quality of having a good memory. It is a formal or literary term. * It typically modifies nouns like mind, faculty, power, person, or individual. * It describes a tendency or ability, not a single act of remembering.

Examples

• Her recollective mind allowed her to recite poems she had learned in childhood.
• He is remarkably recollective for his age, recalling names and dates with ease.
• The historian's recollective powers were essential for piecing together the oral history of the region.
• As a storyteller, she relied on her recollective nature to share tales from her youth.

Advanced Usage

• "To be recollective of": This formal phrase means to be characterized by or full of memories of something. It describes a state of mind rather than an ability.
  • The old photograph was recollective of happier times. (The photograph evoked memories.)

Variants and Related Words

• Recollect (verb): To remember something; to bring back to mind.
  • I cannot recollect where I put my keys.
• Recollection (noun): The action or faculty of remembering; a memory.
  • My earliest recollection is of my grandmother's house.
• Recollected (adjective): This is the past participle of the verb "recollect" and is often used to mean "composed and calm," especially after being agitated. It is distinct from "recollective."
  • After a moment, she spoke in a recollected voice.

Synonyms

• Retentive: Holding or retaining information well.
• Tenacious (of memory): Persistent in holding memories.
• Mnemonist (noun): A person with an extraordinary memory.
• Unforgetting: (Literary) Not forgetting.

Antonyms

• Forgetful: Apt or likely not to remember.
• Amnesiac: Suffering from amnesia.
• Oblivious: Not aware of or not concerned about what is happening; unmindful.

Adjective

1. good at remembering
   • a retentive mind
   • tenacious memory