Definition · context memory
memory retrieval
memory retrieval is the selection of stored information for use in the agent’s current context. You can spot memory retrieval in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does memory retrieval matter?
Stored facts help only when the right ones return at the right time. Poor retrieval can hide or distort prior context. For memory retrieval, start with three checks: What is kept, and for how long? Who can write or retrieve it? How would bad data be found and removed? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does memory retrieval look like?
A sales agent fetches the last approved quote before it drafts a renewal offer. This example makes memory retrieval visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is memory retrieval easy to confuse with?
Memory retrieval gets stored past context. RAG often gets outside source material. The closest entries here are memory poisoning, memory store, memory. Compare their definitions with memory retrieval before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps memory retrieval separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term memory retrieval?
We have not verified who first introduced memory retrieval. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before memory retrieval?
Read memory first when memory retrieval depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use memory retrieval to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What is kept, and for how long?
- Who can write or retrieve it?
- How would bad data be found and removed?
Which source supports this definition of memory retrieval?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of memory retrieval. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to memory retrieval; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundmemory retrievalChecked 2026-07-12→