What is the Latin word for memoir?

The usual Latin words for “memoir” are laudātiō, ēnārrō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“memoir” in Latin

laudātiōcommendation, praise; eulogy, panegyric ēnārrōto explain in detail, to expound

The English word memoir itself goes back to Latin memor, through memoria.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

memoir

*libellus in memoriam alicujus compositus; *libri de vita alicujus acta scripti (or liber - scriptus); laudatio (a panegyric; ☞ elogium, an epitaph): to write a memoir, vitam alicujus narrare, enarrare; de vita alicujus exponere: to publish a memoir of anybody, librum de vita alicujus edere, vitas memoriam componere (Suet., Claud., 1).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for memoir?: The usual Latin words for “memoir” are laudātiō, ēnārrō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.