Memorial Day
"纪念日"，1819年开始用于任何周年纪念日，尤其是宗教纪念日； 参见 memorial（形容词）。作为一个特定的五月底纪念美国战争死亡者的节日，它在19世纪60年代末非正式地开始纪念内战中阵亡的北方士兵。1869年，它被退伍军人组织正式称为这样的节日，但 Decoration Day 也被使用。北方主要的退伍军人组织大陆军在1882年的决议中正式将其指定为纪念日：
That the Commander-in-Chief be requested to issue a General Order calling the attention of the officers and members of the Grand Army of the Republic, and of the people at large, to the fact that the proper designation of May 30th is Memorial Day and to request that it may be always so called. [Grand Army Blue Book, Philadelphia, 1884]
请求总司令发布一项总命令，引起大陆军的军官和成员以及广大民众的注意，指出5月30日的适当称呼是纪念日，并请求永远这样称呼。[大陆军蓝皮书，费城，1884年]
然而，南方有自己的联盟纪念日，对这个名称的显然挪用有些不满。
The word "Memorial" was adopted by the Maryland Confederates shortly after the war, and has been generally used throughout the South. It is distinctively Confederate in its origin and use, and I would suggest to all Confederate societies to adhere to it. The Federals' annual day of observance is known as "Decoration Day," having been made so by an act of Congress, and the 30th day of May named as the date. In Maryland there is annually a Decoration Day and a Memorial Day. The two words are expressive not only of the nature of the observance, but also of the people who participate therein. [Confederate Veteran, November 1893]
“纪念”一词在战后不久被马里兰联盟派采用，并在南方广泛使用。它在起源和用法上具有明显的联盟特色，我建议所有联盟社团坚持使用这个词。联邦的年度纪念日被称为“装饰日”，这是由国会的一项法案制定的，5月30日被指定为日期。在马里兰州，每年都有一个装饰日和一个纪念日。这两个词不仅表达了纪念活动的性质，也表达了参与其中的人民。[联盟老兵，1893年11月]
该词起源时间：1819年