A Latin term that means "death" "Mori" may alternatively stem from the Latin word "maurus," which means "dark-skinned" in contemporary Italian. Memento mori: creative masterpieces that serve as a reminder of one's own death; Latin for "Remember to die." Memento mori (memorare morte) is a phrase used in many cultures to remind people that they will die, and should make sure that they are doing what they want to do before this happens. It is often seen in artwork, such as paintings or sculptures, that show a figure with its head tilted back as if in astonishment at its own mortality. This is intended to encourage people to live their lives fully and not to put off until tomorrow what they could do today. The phrase comes from an early medieval text called The Cloud of Unknowing by an English monk named John Gerson. It can be found printed in many books since then. The original text contains several short poems that include this line as part of a larger poem called "Meditation on the Last Things." People have been using art to convey messages about death and immortality since ancient times. Some examples include Egyptian hieroglyphics, Chinese art, and Native American painting. In conclusion, memento mori is a phrase used in remembrance of someone's death.