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documentary

[ dok-yuh-men-tuh-ree, -tree ]
/ ˌdɒk yəˈmɛn tə ri, -tri /
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adjective
Also doc·u·men·tal [dok-yuh-men-tl]. /ˌdɒk yəˈmɛn tl/. pertaining to, consisting of, or derived from documents: a documentary history of France.
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.
Movies, Television. a documentary film, radio or television program, etc.
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Origin of documentary

First recorded in 1795–1805; document + -ary

OTHER WORDS FROM documentary

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use documentary in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for documentary

documentary
/ (ˌdɒkjʊˈmɛntərɪ, -trɪ) /

adjective
Also: documental consisting of, derived from, or relating to documents
presenting factual material with little or no fictional additionsthe book gives a documentary account of the war
noun plural -ries
a factual film or television programme about an event, person, etc, presenting the facts with little or no fiction

Derived forms of documentary

documentarily, adverb
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
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