story

¹

[ stawr-ee, stohr-ee ]

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.

   Synonyms: chronicle, history, record, anecdote, fable, legend, romance

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.

   Synonyms: recital

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.

   Synonyms: description

8. news story ( def ).
9. a lie or fabrication:

   What he said about himself turned out to be a story.

10. Obsolete. history.

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.

story

²

[ 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.

Story

³

[ stawr-ee, stohr-ee ]

noun

1. Joseph, 1779–1845, U.S. jurist.
2. William Wet·more [wet, -mawr, -mohr], 1819–95, U.S. sculptor and poet.

story

¹

/ ˈstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse
2. Also calledshort story a piece of fiction, briefer and usually less detailed than a novel
3. Also calledstory 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
   cut a long story shortmake a long story short to leave out details in a narration
9. the same old story informal.
   the same old story the familiar or regular course of events
10. the story goes
    the story goes it is commonly said or believed

verb

1. to decorate (a pot, wall, etc) with scenes from history or legends

story

²

/ ˈstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. See storey
   another spelling (esp US) of storey

Other Words From

• story·less adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of story¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stori(e), store, “(written or oral) narrative; history,” from Anglo-French (e)storie ( Old French estoire), from Latin historia history

Origin of story²

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English stori(e), from Anglo-Latin (hi)storia architetcure term for a picture decorating a building, a part of the building so decorated, hence floor, story, from Latin historia history

Word History and Origins

Origin of story¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

In addition to the idiom beginning with story , 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 .

Example Sentences

We know that Malcolm X, El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, told his story truthfully.

From Essence.com

His story in our latest issue—the techno-nationalism issue—explains how the coronavirus pandemic appears to be accelerating Brazil’s slide toward a surveillance state.

From MIT Technology Review

That’s been the dominant theme for years, and that’s the story of the recent selloff and mini-bounceback that followed.

From Fortune

On their fourth date, they wrote a story about aliens together.

From Washington Blade

Reporter Tarryn Mento will join us Wednesday on VOSD at Home to talk about her story.

From Voice of San Diego

The story of fluoridation reads like a postmodern fable, and the moral is clear: a scientific discovery might seem like a boon.

From The Daily Beast

But along with the cartoon funk is an all-too-real story of police brutality embodied by a horde of evil Pigs.

From The Daily Beast

Whatever the FBI says, the truthers will create alternative hypotheses that try to challenge the ‘official story.’

From The Daily Beast

In its attempt to discredit the story, the JPO inadvertently confirmed that fact.

From The Daily Beast

And extortion makes a lot more sense before a story hits the news wire, not after.

From The Daily Beast

Nothing but an extreme love of truth could have hindered me from concealing this part of my story.

From Project Gutenberg

A few moments afterward he was seen dragging his own trunk ashore, while Mr. Hitchcock finished his story on the boiler deck.

From Project Gutenberg

Obviously a tremendous question arises here as to how a story should be found in Genesis xiv.

From Project Gutenberg

Through the beautiful, windy autumn days, he labored at his difficult task, the task of telling a story.

From Project Gutenberg

The interest of the story is now at an end; but much yet remains before the conclusion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• adventure
• anecdote
• article
• autobiography
• biography
• book
• comedy
• description
• drama
• fable
• fantasy
• feature
• fiction
• history
• information
• legend
• memoir
• myth
• narrative
• novel