Dictionary.com
definitions
  • synonyms

story1

[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
See more synonyms for story on Thesaurus.com
noun, plural sto·ries.
  1. a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.
  2. a fictitious tale, shorter and less elaborate than a novel.
  3. such narratives or tales as a branch of literature: song and story.
  4. the plot or succession of incidents of a novel, poem, drama, etc.: The characterizations were good, but the story was weak.
  5. a narration of an incident or a series of events or an example of these that is or may be narrated, as an anecdote, joke, etc.
  6. a narration of the events in the life of a person or the existence of a thing, or such events as a subject for narration: the story of medicine; the story of his life.
  7. a report or account of a matter; statement or allegation: The story goes that he rejected the offer.
  8. news story.
  9. a lie or fabrication: What he said about himself turned out to be a story.
  10. Obsolete. history.
Show More
verb (used with object), sto·ried, sto·ry·ing.
  1. to ornament with pictured scenes, as from history or legend.
  2. Obsolete. to tell the history or story of.
Show More

Origin of story1

1175–1225; Middle English storie < Anglo-French estorie < Latin historia history
Related formssto·ry·less, adjective

Synonyms

See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.com
1. legend, fable, romance; anecdote, record, history, chronicle. 5. recital. 7. description.

story2

[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
noun, plural sto·ries.
  1. a complete horizontal section of a building, having one continuous or practically continuous floor.
  2. the set of rooms on the same floor or level of a building.
  3. any major horizontal architectural division, as of a façade or the wall of a nave.
  4. a layer.
Show More
Also especially British, sto·rey.

Origin of story2

1350–1400; Middle English storie < Anglo-Latin historia picture decorating a building, a part of the building so decorated, hence floor, story < Latin historia history

Story

[stawr-ee, stohr-ee]
noun
  1. Joseph,1779–1845, U.S. jurist.
  2. William Wet·more [wet-mawr, -mohr] /ˈwɛtˌmɔr, -ˌmoʊr/, 1819–95, U.S. sculptor and poet.
Show More
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

version, fantasy, fable, biography, information, feature, fiction, book, comedy, memoir, description, myth, autobiography, anecdote, adventure, report, article, tragedy, novel, drama

Examples from the Web for story

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • The lawyer listened with surprise to the story Robert had to tell.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

  • They told the story of a queen who had lived to be eighty-two years old.

    Ancient Man

    Hendrik Willem van Loon

  • He recalled the story Uncle Peter had told at the Oldakers' about the woman and her hair.

    The Spenders

    Harry Leon Wilson

  • So far, the story of ancient man has been the record of a wonderful achievement.

    Ancient Man

    Hendrik Willem van Loon

  • Such was the state of things at the commencement of our story.

    Brave and Bold

    Horatio Alger

British Dictionary definitions for story

story1

noun plural -ries
  1. a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse
  2. Also called: short story a piece of fiction, briefer and usually less detailed than a novel
  3. Also called: story line the plot of a book, film, etc
  4. an event that could be the subject of a narrative
  5. a report or statement on a matter or event
  6. the event or material for such a report
  7. informal a lie, fib, or untruth
  8. cut a long story short or make a long story short to leave out details in a narration
  9. the same old story informal the familiar or regular course of events
  10. the story goes it is commonly said or believed
Show More
verb -ries, -rying or -ried (tr)
  1. to decorate (a pot, wall, etc) with scenes from history or legends
Show More

Word Origin

C13: from Anglo-French estorie, from Latin historia; see history

story2

noun plural -ries
  1. another spelling (esp US) of storey
Show More
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 story

n.1

"account of some happening," early 13c., "narrative of important events or celebrated persons of the past," from Old French estorie, from Late Latin storia and Latin historia "history, account, tale, story" (see history). Meaning "recital of true events" first recorded late 14c.; sense of "narrative of fictitious events meant to entertain" is from c.1500. Not differentiated from history till 1500s. As a euphemism for "a lie" it dates from 1690s. Meaning "newspaper article" is from 1892. Story-teller is from 1709. Story-line first attested 1941. That's another story "that requires different treatment" is attested from 1818. Story of my life "sad truth" first recorded 1938.

Show More

n.2

"floor of a building," c.1400, from Anglo-Latin historia "floor of a building" (c.1200), also "picture," from Latin historia (see history). Perhaps so called because the fronts of buildings in the Middle Ages often were decorated with rows of painted windows.

Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Idioms and Phrases with story

story

In addition to the idiom beginning with story

  • story of my life, the

also see:

  • cock and bull story
  • cover story
  • fish story
  • hard-luck story
  • make a long story short
  • old story
  • same old story
  • shaggy dog story
  • sob story
  • upper story
Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.