narrative
[ nar-uh-tiv ]
/ ˈnær ə tɪv /
noun
a story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious.
a book, literary work, etc., containing such a story.
the art, technique, or process of narrating, or of telling a story: Somerset Maugham was a master of narrative.
a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular viewpoint or thesis: to rewrite the prevailing narrative about masculinity; the narrative that our public schools are failing.
adjective
RELATED CONTENT
Fiancé vs. Fiancée: Which One Is Which?Fiancé and fiancée are different words? If you’ve ever wondered whether it was spelled fiancé or fiancée , well, they’re both correct. They’re both correct because they are actually different terms. English borrowed them from variants of the French verb fiancer (meaning “to get engaged”) in the mid-19th century. The masculine (fiancé) and feminine (fiancée) noun forms were both imported by English speakers, even though English doesn’t typically use gendered …
Nearby words
Origin of narrative
Related forms
nar·ra·tive·ly, adverbnon·nar·ra·tive, adjective, nounsem·i·nar·ra·tive, adjectiveSynonym study
1. Narrative, account, recital, history are terms for a story of an event or events. Narrative is the general term (for a story long or short; of past, present, or future; factual or imagined; told for any purpose; and with or without much detail). The other three terms apply primarily to factual stories of time already past. An account is usually told informally, often for entertainment, with emphasis on details of action, whether about an incident or a series of happenings. A recital is an extended narrative usually with an informative purpose, emphasizing accuracy and exhaustive details of facts and figures. A history, usually written and at some length, is characterized by a tracing of causes and effects, and by an attempt to estimate, evaluate, and interpret facts.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for narrative
British Dictionary definitions for narrative
narrative
/ (ˈnærətɪv) /
noun
an account, report, or story, as of events, experiences, etc
the narrative the part of a literary work that relates events
the process or technique of narrating
adjective
telling a storya narrative poem
of or relating to narrationnarrative art
Derived Forms
narratively, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012