biography

[bahy-og-ruh-fee, bee-]

noun

plural

biographies 

1. a written account of another person's life.

   the biography of Byron by Marchand.

2. an account in biographical form of an organization, society, theater, animal, etc.

3. such writings collectively.

4. the writing of biography as an occupation or field of endeavor.

biography

/ baɪˈɒɡrəfɪ, ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl /

noun

1. an account of a person's life by another

2. such accounts collectively

biography

1. The story of someone's life. The Life of Samuel Johnson, by James Boswell, and Abraham Lincoln, by Carl Sandburg, are two noted biographies. The story of the writer's own life is an autobiography.

Other Word Forms

• biographer noun
• biographical adjective
• biographically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of biography¹

From the Greek word biographía, dating back to 1675–85. See bio-, -graphy

Example Sentences

You can learn more about the Labour MPs who are in key positions in the government in the short biographies below of each member of the cabinet and the ministers who attend its meetings.

From BBC

Her memoir is not a conventional biography but, as she puts it, "about my relationship with my mother… about how she made me the kind of writer that I am - and then resented it".

From BBC

Pond’s witty visuals and sharp prose make “Do Admit” the best group biography of the sisters to date.

From Los Angeles Times

Cooper interviewed Parviz Sabeti, a former director of counter espionage for the Shah's secret police, as part of his research for a biography of the Shah.

From BBC

In fact, Cazac had never been cited in any previous Baldwin biography.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• autobiography 
• diary 
• journal 
• life 
• life story www.thesaurus.com
• memoir 
• picture 
• profile 
• sketch