Word
Definitions
01factual film or programme
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a film or television show that tells a true story or gives information about real people and events.
n. a non-fiction creative work, such as a film or television series, that provides a factual record or report.
日本語:ドキュメンタリー※
“We watched a fascinating documentary about how bees communicate with each other.”
“The director spent three years filming the documentary, capturing the daily struggles of families living in the remote mountain village.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02based on documents
C1 · Advanced Formal
adj. consisting of or based on written records and evidence.
adj. relating to, consisting of, or derived from documents or written records.
“The lawyer presented documentary evidence to prove that the contract was signed.”
“The historian relied heavily on documentary sources from the local archives to reconstruct the town's medieval layout.”
Usage
Usually placed before the noun.
03factual style
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. presented in a way that shows real life without adding made-up stories.
adj. presented in a factual or objective manner, often mimicking the style of a report or record.
日本語:ドキュメンタリー※
“The book was written in a documentary style, using real letters and diary entries.”
“The photographer adopted a documentary approach, refusing to stage any of the scenes or use artificial lighting.”
Antonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “documentary” in context.
Verb
01. broadcast documentary
“The national channel will broadcast the documentary next Tuesday at 9 PM.”
verb + noun
02. documentary examines
“This documentary examines the causes of the global financial crisis.”
noun + verb
03. documentary features
“The documentary features interviews with several leading scientists.”
noun + verb
04. documentary focuses on
“The documentary focuses on the daily lives of people living in the Arctic.”
noun + verb + prep
05. film documentary
“The crew spent three months in the jungle to film the documentary.”
verb + noun
06. narrate documentary
“The famous actor was chosen to narrate the documentary series.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. award-winning documentary
“The award-winning documentary explores the effects of climate change on polar bears.”
adj + noun
08. feature-length documentary
“The director is working on a feature-length documentary about the history of jazz.”
adj + noun
09. gripping documentary
“It was a gripping documentary that kept me glued to the screen for two hours.”
adj + noun
10. documentary series
11. based on a documentary
“The movie is actually based on a documentary filmed ten years ago.”
12. make a documentary about
“They decided to make a documentary about plastic pollution in the oceans.”
Etymology
From French adjective and (hence) noun documentaire, from document, from Latin documentum. Equivalent to document + -ary.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
- 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
- Common
- Level
- B1 · IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/documentary
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
‘외래어’ data: 한국어기초사전 (국립국어원), CC BY-SA 2.0 KR