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Synonyms

commentary

American  
[kom-uhn-ter-ee] / ˈkɒm ənˌtɛr i /

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 British  
/ 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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • commentarial adjective
  • supercommentary noun

Etymology

Origin of commentary

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Live text updates and radio commentary of rounds three and four from 19:30 GMT on BBC Sport website and app, and BBC Sounds.

From BBC

Additional commentary from the builders’ conference call, which will take place at 11 a.m.

From Barron's

Before that, she wrote investment commentary for the Journal's Heard on the Street column, focusing on media, telecom and retail companies.

From The Wall Street Journal

The automaker expects a similar performance in China this year and said a recovery in the country will take time—consistent with commentary from other German carmakers.

From The Wall Street Journal

But his commentary on the performances, and the history of the sport—the evolution of the bowling ball, for instance—is consistently funny.

From The Wall Street Journal