hagiographical

American  

[hag-ee-uh-graf-ik-uhl] / ˌhæg i əˈgræf ɪk əl /

adjective

1. relating to, consisting of, or characteristic of hagiography; marked by excessive or undue admiration for a person.

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Other Word Forms

• hagiographically
  adverb

Explanation

A biography or life story can be described as hagiographical when it is so flattering to the person that they sound like a saint. It makes you roll your eyes — unless of course the person really was a saint. The adjective hagiographical is derived from the noun hagiography, which referred originally to a story written about a Christian saint, or holy person, to express devotion and inspire faith. More recently, hagiographical has been used to describe any biography that portrays the person in glowing terms, ignoring any faults or weaknesses. A hagiographical book or movie may feature a national hero or someone greatly admired by the author or filmmaker, and is often challenged later by someone seeking to be more honest.

Example Sentences

Contemplating the Boss in 2020 is a necessarily hagiographical effort.

From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2020

It’s a generous impulse, yet it makes for a somewhat uniform, hagiographical tone, which favors dignity over complexity.

From The New Yorker • Sep. 9, 2019

In addition, Hill reportedly passed a polygraph test amid the hearings and a hagiographical documentary on Hill was released in 2014.

From MSNBC • Apr. 15, 2016

The book analyzed 800 hagiographical texts, or saints’ lives, to identify the social factors at work in the canonization process.

From New York Times • Dec. 30, 2015

It is true that the collection was made before the Chronicles and many other books of the hagiographical canon; but the complete Psalter did not appear till the Maccabean period.

From The Canon of the Bible by Davidson, Samuel