Is It Spelled Mnemonic or Pneumonic?

There’s an easy way to remember the difference between mnemonic and pneumonic.

Where Does the Word Mnemonic Come From?

In Ancient Greek mythology, the goddess of memory was named Mnemosyne (pronounced “nih-MAH-sen-ee”). She was one of the titans and the mother of the nine muses.

A Mnemonic for Mnemonic

There are many words related to her name that contain the same MN letter pair. Here are some examples:

• mnemonic
• mnemonist
• amnesia
• amnesty

You can remember that mnemonic relates to memory, because they both start with the letter M.

Where Does the Word Pneumonic Come From?

The word pneumonic comes from the Greek word πνευμονικός (pneumonikos).

A Mnemonic for Pneumonic

The word pneumonic start with the letter P. To make a P sound, you rapidly expel air with your lips.

You can make a mnemonic connection between the air and lungs. The word that starts with P is related to the lungs.

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