a device (such as a rhyme or acronym) used to aid recall
<noun.act> [ adj ]
of or relating to or involved the practice of aiding the memory
<adj.pert> mnemonic device
Mnemonic \Mne*mon"ic\ (n[-e]*m[o^]n"[i^]k), Mnemonical \Mne*mon"ic*al\ (n[-e]*m[o^]n"[i^]*kal), a. [Gr. mnhmoniko`s, fr. mnh`mwn mindful, remembering, mnh`mh memory, mna^sqai to think on, remember; akin to E. mind.] Assisting in memory; helping to remember; as, a mnemonic device.
mnemonic \mnemonic\ n. 1. Something used to assist the memory, as an easily remembered acronym or verse. [WordNet 1.5]
2. An abbreviated word that resembles the full word, used so as to be easily recognized; as, the CIDE uses ... tags as mnemnonics for an italicised word or field. [PJC]
Note: In basic organic chemistry class, one may learn the mnenomic ``Oh my, such good apple pie'' to help remember the names of the dicarboxylic acids in increasing order of length, namely: oxalic, malonic, succinic, glutaric, adipic, and pimelic acids. (From L. Fieser's Organic Chemistry text).
Karski's mnemonic and diplomatic gifts made him an ideal courier.