ENGLISH
REFERENCE

biographer

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //baɪˈɑɡɹəfɝ// UK //baɪˈɒɡɹəfɐ// bi·og·ra·pher

n. a person who writes a book about someone else's life. They research the person's history and tell their story to the public.

n. a writer who composes a detailed account of another person's life. Typically involves extensive archival research and interviews to reconstruct a historical or contemporary narrative.


SIMPLE

The biographer spent years researching the president's early life.

CONTEXTUAL

After the famous singer died, her official biographer interviewed her family to ensure the book was accurate.

COMPLEX

A skilled biographer must balance objective historical facts with a narrative that captures the subject's internal motivations and the cultural spirit of their era.

Origin

From biography + -er.

Usage

Often paired with 'official' or 'unauthorised' to indicate whether the subject or their estate approved the work.

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