different between narrative vs memoir

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French narratif.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?næ??t?v/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry distinction) IPA^(key): /?næ??t?v/
• (US, Mary–marry–merry merger) IPA^(key): /?n???t?v/
• Hyphenation: nar?ra?tive

Adjective

narrative (comparative more narrative, superlative most narrative)

1. Telling a story.
2. Overly talkative; garrulous.

   • But wise through time, and narrative with age.

3. Of or relating to narration.

Translations

Noun

narrative (countable and uncountable, plural narratives)

1. The systematic recitation of an event or series of events.
2. That which is narrated.
3. A representation of an event or story.
4. (creative writing) A manner of conveying a story, fictional or otherwise, in a body of work.

Derived terms

• antenarrative
• antinarrative
• grand narrative
• metanarrative
• narrative hook

Related terms

• narrate
• narration
• narrator

Translations

References

• narrative at OneLook Dictionary Search
• narrative in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• narrative in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• veratrina

French

Adjective

narrative

1. feminine singular of narratif

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /narra?tive/, [nar.ra?t?i?.ve]

Adjective

narrative f pl

1. feminine plural of narrativo

Noun

narrative f pl

1. plural of narrativa

Anagrams

• antiverrà, arrivante, interrava, rientrava

English

Etymology

From French mémoire (“memoir”), from Latin memoria (“memory”). Doublet of memoria and memory.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?m?w??/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?m?m?w??/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /?m?m????/
• Hyphenation: mem?oir

Noun

memoir (plural memoirs)

1. An autobiography; a book describing the personal experiences of an author.

2. A biography; a book describing the experiences of a subject from personal knowledge of the subject or from sources with personal knowledge of the subject.

3. Any form of narrative describing the personal experiences of a writer.

Usage notes

A memoir may differ from a simple biography or autobiography by not focusing on the author as the primary subject matter, but on people and events in the subject's life. Emphasis is placed on personal observations about external events.

The plural memoirs is often used to refer to a single work.

Related terms

• memory

Translations

References

• “memoir” in Michael Agnes, editor-in-chief, Webster's New World College Dictionary, 4th edition, Cleveland, Oh.: Wiley, 2010, ?ISBN; reproduced on the Collins English Dictionary
• “memoir” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• “memoir”, in Merriam–Webster Online Dictionary, (Please provide a date or year).
• “memoir”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• “Memoir” in John Walker, A Critical Pronouncing Dictionary […] , London: Sold by G. G. J. and J. Robin?on, Paterno?ter Row; and T. Cadell, in the Strand, 1791, ?OCLC, page 341, column 2.

Further reading

• memoir on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• memoir in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• momier