documentary

[ dok-yuh-men-tuh-ree, -tree ]

adjective

1. Also doc·u·men·tal [] pertaining to, consisting of, or derived from documents:

   a documentary history of France.

2. Movies, Television. based on or re-creating an actual event, era, life story, etc., that purports to be factually accurate and contains no fictional elements:

   a documentary life of Gandhi.

noun

, plural doc·u·men·ta·ries.

1. Movies, Television. a documentary film, radio or television program, etc.

documentary

/ ˌdɒkjʊˈmɛntərɪ; -trɪ /

adjective

1. Alsodocumental consisting of, derived from, or relating to documents
2. presenting factual material with little or no fictional additions

   the book gives a documentary account of the war

noun

1. a factual film or television programme about an event, person, etc, presenting the facts with little or no fiction

Derived Forms

• ˌdocuˈmentarily, adverb

Other Words From

• docu·men·tari·ly adverb
• nondoc·u·mental adjective
• nondoc·u·menta·ry adjective noun plural nondocumentaries
• predoc·u·menta·ry adjective
• semi·docu·menta·ry adjective noun plural semidocumentaries
• undoc·u·menta·ry adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of documentary¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; document + -ary

Example Sentences

A Polish TV company was filming a documentary about Tamuna and took her to meet her mother, who agreed to talk to her in private.

From BBC

"Our film looks like a sweet little documentary compared to what's going on in the world," she said.

From BBC

Costa, working in a mode that owes something to the essay documentaries of Chris Marker, interweaves elements of her family history with the recent history of Brazil.

From New York Times

‘Tongues Untied’: When the filmmaker, poet and activist Marlon Riggs died in 1994, he left behind several provocative and powerful documentary features and shorts, many of which are included in Ovid’s collection.

From New York Times

Scenes of squalor, drug use and petty crime have spawned a subculture of gonzo-style documentary videos racking up hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• broadcast
• feature
• film
• narrative