memoir
Americannoun
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a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.
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Usually memoirs.
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an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography.
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the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
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a biography or biographical sketch.
noun
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a biography or historical account, esp one based on personal knowledge
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an essay or monograph, as on a specialized topic
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obsolete a memorandum
Other Word Forms
- memoirist noun
Etymology
Origin of memoir
First recorded in 1560–70; from French mémoire, from Latin memoria; see memory
Explanation
The beginning of a short memoir of your life might read like this: I was born on a dark and stormy night. My days remained blustery — school was difficult for me, and my parents argued all of the time. My luck changed when... A memoir is a person's own account of his or her life. Memoirs allow for a bit more literary freedom than autobiographies as they involve introspection and a creative view of your past. As you go through life or a phase in life, you can write things down in your memoirs so that at a later time, you can publish a memoir about it.
Vocabulary lists containing memoir
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Literary Genres - Introductory
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25 Words from "Baseball and Black History"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He made it clear in his 1988 memoir “Moonwalk” that he had no memories of life outside of performing.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2026
The post included a photo of the actor’s recently released memoir, “You With the Sad Eyes,” and a coffee mug resting on what appears to be a home parapet.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026
When Seen Aromi's memoir documenting the joys of singlehood hit the shelves in early 2024, it became an instant bestseller.
From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026
A policy argument has a limited shelf life; a devotional or memoir can sell indefinitely.
From Salon • Apr. 18, 2026
When Ivy told her about the idea, Mom had called it a graphic memoir.
From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
