Word
memoirs
Phoneticsmem·oirs
US/ˈmɛmˌwɑɹz/
UK/mˈɛmwɑːz/
Definition
n. a book written by a person about their own life, usually focusing on their personal memories and feelings.
n. a narrative account of a person's life or a specific period of it, written by that person. Often used in the plural form even when referring to a single work.
Examples
“The retired president is busy writing his memoirs.”
“After decades in the film industry, the actress published her memoirs to share stories from behind the scenes.”
“Her memoirs provide a vivid, first-hand account of the political upheaval that defined the late twentieth century, offering insights that official histories often overlook.”
Examples
simple
“The retired president is busy writing his memoirs.”
contextual
“After decades in the film industry, the actress published her memoirs to share stories from behind the scenes.”
complex
“Her memoirs provide a vivid, first-hand account of the political upheaval that defined the late twentieth century, offering insights that official histories often overlook.”
Usage
Usually plural in form even when referring to a single published volume.
Pitfall
I am reading the memoir of Winston Churchill.
I am reading the memoirs of Winston Churchill.
While 'memoir' is used, the plural form 'memoirs' is much more common when referring to a published book about someone's life.
Real-World Examples
“Three nineteenth-century memoirs reveal the risks and rewards of life on the road as a traveling bookseller.” “Both have already published memoirs about the experience: Rushdie’s Knife , in 2024 and Griffiths’ The Flower Bearers earlier this year.” Synonyms
Antonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/memoirs