Word
autobiographical
Phoneticsau·to·bi·o·graph·i·cal, stress on the fifth syllable
US/ˌɔtəˌbaɪəˈɡɹæfɪkəɫ/
UK/ˌɔːtəʊbˌaɪəɡɹˈæfɪkəl/
Literature
Definition
adj. describing a story or book that a person writes about their own life. It means the author is sharing their real experiences and memories.
adj. relating to or based on the author's own life experiences. Often used to describe literary works or films where the narrative closely mirrors the creator's personal history.
Examples
“She wrote an autobiographical novel about her childhood.”
“Many readers wonder how much of the protagonist's struggle is truly autobiographical and how much is fiction.”
“The director's latest film is deeply autobiographical, drawing on his formative years in post-war Italy to explore themes of displacement and artistic awakening.”
Examples
simple
“She wrote an autobiographical novel about her childhood.”
contextual
“Many readers wonder how much of the protagonist's struggle is truly autobiographical and how much is fiction.”
complex
“The director's latest film is deeply autobiographical, drawing on his formative years in post-war Italy to explore themes of displacement and artistic awakening.”
Usage
Typically used attributively before a noun; often modified by adverbs like 'largely', 'partly', or 'deeply'.
Real-World Examples
“It adds up to nothing more, nor less, than a divertingly dotty autobiographical standup hour.” “Much of the narrative, as Crooks notes in the acknowledgments, is autobiographical.” Etymology
From autobiography + -ical or auto- + biographical.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/autobiographical