commentary

[kom-uhn-ter-ee]

noun

plural

commentaries 

1. a series of comments, explanations, or annotations.

   a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.

2. an explanatory essay or treatise.

   a commentary on a play; Blackstone's commentaries on law.

3. anything serving to illustrate a point, prompt a realization, or exemplify, especially in the case of something unfortunate.

   The dropout rate is a sad commentary on our school system.

4. Usually commentaries. records of facts or events.

   Commentaries written by Roman lawyers give us information on how their courts functioned.

commentary

/ ˌkɒmənˈtɛərɪəl, -trɪ, ˈkɒməntərɪ /

noun

1. an explanatory series of notes or comments

2. a spoken accompaniment to a broadcast, film, etc, esp of a sporting event

3. an explanatory essay or treatise on a text

4. (usually plural) a personal record of events or facts

   the commentaries of Caesar

Other Word Forms

• commentarial adjective
• supercommentary noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of commentary¹

1375–1425; late Middle English commentaries (plural) < Latin commentārium notebook, noun use of neuter of commentārius, equivalent to comment ( um ) comment + -ārius -ary

Example Sentences

This commentary was issued recently by money managers, research firms, and market newsletter writers and has been edited by Barron's.

Read more on Barron's

Along with the proliferation of commentary about an AI bubble, the CNN Fear & Greed Index External link managed to improve into the Fear zone on Friday from Extreme Fear on Thursday.

Read more on Barron's

In addition to debuting the music video for “The Fate of Ophelia,” Swift’s “Release Party” movie included behind-the-scenes footage and commentary from the artist about her songs.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Commentary arrangements have not been decided - Apple will not initially produce its own commentary and is likely to buy either that of F1 TV or the UK's Sky network.

Read more on BBC

On its heels came the expected furor of Cheever-related commentary that obsessed over his private life at the expense of his writing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• comment 
• criticism 
• critique 
• description 
• explanation 
• narration 
• observation 
• remark 
• review 
• treatise