narration

[na-rey-shuh n]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR narration ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

something narrated; an account, story, or narrative.

the act or process of narrating.

a recital of events, especially in chronological order, as the story narrated in a poem or the exposition in a drama.

Rhetoric. (in classical speech) the third part, the exposition of the question.

Origin of narration

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin narrātiōn- (stem of narrātiō), equivalent to narrāt(us) (see narrate) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsnar·ra·tion·al, adjectivenon·nar·ra·tion, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for narration

tale, anecdote, narrative, voice-over, story, explanation, yarn, recital, rehearsal, report, relation, telling, account, recounting, recountal, storytelling

Examples from the Web for narration

Contemporary Examples of narration

One of the great pleasures of his book is the narration of dozens of small but significant encounters with students.
A Teacher Returns to the Classroom and Gets Schooled
Nick Romeo
September 1, 2014
Dialogue and narration is at a minimum, as are as the drawings.
Holy Homophobia, Batman! A Queer Reading of the Dark Knight
Rich Goldstein
July 26, 2014
While these events are critical, what requires the most attention is the manner of her narration.
This Week’s Hot Reads: April 14, 2014
Charles Shafaieh
April 14, 2014
As such, there is a vulnerability to the narration of An Armenian Sketchbook.
This Week’s Hot Reads: February 18, 2013
Mythili Rao
February 18, 2013
As Sitch finagled his way through the scenario, his narration was loathsome, derogatory… and brilliant.
‘Jersey Shore’ Canceled: 11 Wildest Moments (VIDEO)
Kevin Fallon
August 31, 2012

Historical Examples of narration

We shall here resume the more picturesque style of narration.
Biographical Sketches
Nathaniel Hawthorne
George was glad to have some one to talk to, but he was distressed by this narration of his landlady.
Life in London
Edwin Hodder
Mr. Stubmore did not seem to grow more distant at Philip's narration.
Night and Morning, Complete
Edward Bulwer-Lytton
The Queen is said to have been moved to tears by the narration of his story.
Christopher Columbus and His Monument Columbia
Various
And narration may be either simple narration, or imitation, or a union of the two?
The Republic
Plato

British Dictionary definitions for narration

narration

noun

the act or process of narrating

a narrated account or story; narrative

(in traditional rhetoric) the third step in making a speech, the putting forward of the question

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

Word Origin and History for narration

early 15c., from Old French narracion "account, statement, a relating, recounting, narrating, narrative tale," and directly from Latin narrationem (nominative narratio) "a relating, narrative," noun of action from past participle stem of narrare "to tell, relate, recount, explain," literally "to make acquainted with," from gnarus "knowing," from PIE suffixed zero-grade *gne-ro-, from root *gno- "to know" (see know).

narration in Culture

narration

The recounting of an event or series of events; the act of telling a story.