Semantic memory is a type of long-term memory that stores general knowledge, concepts, facts, and meanings of words, allowing for the understanding and comprehension of language, as well as the retrieval of general knowledge about the world. It is the memory of meanings, understandings, and concepts related to facts, information, and general knowledge about the world. Semantic memory is distinct from episodic memory, which is the memory of experiences and specific events that occur in ones life that can be recreated at any given point. Semantic memory generally encompasses matters widely construed as common knowledge, which are neither exclusively nor immediately drawn from personal experience. Examples of semantic memory include factual information such as grammar and algebra, recalling that Washington, D.C., is the U.S. capital and Washington is a state, recalling that April 1564 is the date on which Shakespeare was born, and knowing that elephants and giraffes are both mammals. Semantic memory is the sum of all knowledge one has obtained, including vocabulary, understanding of math, or all the facts one knows.