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Synonyms

memoir

American  
[mem-wahr, -wawr] / ˈmɛm wɑr, -wɔr /

noun

  1. a record of events written by a person having intimate knowledge of them and based on personal observation.

  2. Usually memoirs.

    1. an account of one's personal life and experiences; autobiography.

    2. the published record of the proceedings of a group or organization, as of a learned society.

  3. a biography or biographical sketch.


memoir British  
/ ˈmɛmwɑː /

noun

  1. a biography or historical account, esp one based on personal knowledge

  2. an essay or monograph, as on a specialized topic

  3. obsolete a memorandum

"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

  • memoirist noun

Etymology

Origin of memoir

First recorded in 1560–70; from French mémoire, from Latin memoria; memory

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.

Ms. Ruhl, in addition to being one of the most inventive dramatists working today, also wrote a beautiful memoir, “Smile,” about her struggles with Bell’s palsy, a neurological disorder that affects the face muscles.

From The Wall Street Journal

Patrick is a freelance critic and author of the memoir “Life B.”

From Los Angeles Times

South Korean author, whose memoir, I Want to Die but I Want To Eat Tteokbokki, was a compilation of conversations with her psychiatrist about her depression.

From BBC

Though she exuded confidence, she admitted in her memoir that she battled depression as she sought to juggle the many moving pieces of her chaotic life.

From Los Angeles Times

The director’s memoir confronts his own appetites with candor.

From The Wall Street Journal