Word
autobiography
Phoneticsau·to·bi·og·ra·phy, stress on the fourth syllable
US/ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑɡɹəfi/
UK/ˌɔːtəʊbaɪˈɒɡɹəfi/
Definitions
01a life story
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a book or story that you write about your own life.
n. a written account of a person's life composed by that individual. Countable in this sense.
“In her autobiography, the famous singer describes her difficult childhood and her rise to fame.”
“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.
Synonyms
Antonyms
02literary genre
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Literature Academic
n. the type of literature that includes books people write about themselves.
n. the literary genre or practice of writing about one's own life. Uncountable in this sense.
“The library has a large section dedicated to autobiography and history.”
“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.
Synonyms
Etymology
From auto- + biography.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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