# autobiography

/ˌɔtəbaɪˈɑɡɹəfi/ (US) · /ˌɔːtəʊbaɪˈɒɡɹəfi/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/autobiography
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a life story

noun · CEFR B1

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

For teachers: 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.

### 2. literary genre

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

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

For teachers: 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.

## Examples

- She is writing her autobiography to share her life story.
- The retired athlete's autobiography became a bestseller because it revealed the struggles he faced behind the scenes.
- In her candid autobiography, the former prime minister reflects on the difficult decisions she made during the war and how they shaped her political legacy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.