# biography

/baɪˈɑɡɹəfi/ (US) · /baɪˈɒɡɹəfi/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. a life story

noun · CEFR B1

a book or story that tells the true facts about a person's life.

For teachers: a written account of another person's life, typically published as a book or article.

- I just finished reading a fascinating biography of Steve Jobs.
- The historian spent five years researching the definitive biography of the queen, uncovering letters that had never been seen by the public.

### 2. the genre of writing

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the art or business of writing about people's lives.

For teachers: the branch of literature or the professional practice concerned with the lives of individuals.

- She is a professor who specialises in eighteenth-century biography.
- Modern biography has shifted away from simple praise toward a more critical analysis of a subject's psychological motivations.

### 3. to write a life story

verb · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

to write the story of someone's life.

For teachers: to write a biography of a specific person. This transitive use is less common than the noun form.

- The author was asked to biography the late prime minister.
- Few writers have attempted to biography such a reclusive figure, given the lack of primary source material available to the public.

## Examples

- I am reading a biography of Steve Jobs.
- The historian spent five years researching the president's early life for her upcoming biography.
- While a hagiography seeks to praise its subject, a critical biography examines both the triumphs and the moral failings of the individual in question.

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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.