memoir
Americannoun
-
a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.
-
Usually memoirs.
-
an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography.
-
the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.
-
-
a biography or biographical sketch.
noun
-
a biography or historical account, esp one based on personal knowledge
-
an essay or monograph, as on a specialized topic
-
obsolete a memorandum
Other Word Forms
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)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Literary Genres - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
25 Words from "Baseball and Black History"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
“No New York: A Memoir of No Wave and the Women Who Shaped the Scene” is a powerful slice of storytelling that fills in gaps between other essential books about downtown New York City.
From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026
His second book, Young Man in a Hurry: A Memoir of Discovery, is out this week and simply cannot be read for enjoyment.
From Slate • Feb. 25, 2026
Appeared in the December 20, 2025, print edition as 'A Merry Memoir of Yuletide Anarchy'.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025
Celebrities and public figures released 290 new memoirs in 2025, down nearly 160 from 2023’s Peak Celeb Memoir era, according to Goodreads.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2025
He wrote the preface to the American edition of Smith's Memoir of Fichte.
From Transcendentalism in New England A History by Frothingham, Octavius Brooks
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.
