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autobiography

n.
US //ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑɡɹəfi// UK //ˌɔːtəʊbaɪˈɒɡɹəfi// au·to·bi·og·ra·phy
  1. 1 a life story (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a book or story that you write about your own life.

    a written account of a person's life composed by that individual. Countable in this sense.

    Example

    In her autobiography, the famous singer describes her difficult childhood and her rise to fame.

    Example

    The politician's autobiography provides a candid look at the internal struggles of the party during the late nineties.

    Usage

    Often used with the possessive form to indicate the author.
    Pitfall
    I read the autobiography of Steve Jobs written by Walter Isaacson.
    I read the biography of Steve Jobs written by Walter Isaacson.

    An autobiography must be written by the person it is about. If someone else writes it, it is a biography.

  2. 2 literary genre (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Academic Literary

    the type of literature that includes books people write about themselves.

    the literary genre or practice of writing about one's own life. Uncountable in this sense.

    Example

    The library has a large section dedicated to autobiography and history.

    Example

    The course explores the evolution of autobiography from early spiritual confessions to modern digital narratives.

    Usage

    Used as an uncountable noun when referring to the field of study or the genre as a whole.
Origin

From auto- + biography.

Word family

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