English Reference

Word

narrative

Phoneticsnar·ra·tive

US/ˈnæɹətɪv/

UK/nˈæɹətˌɪv/

Definitions

02a perspective or interpretation

B2

n. a particular way of explaining or understanding a situation or series of events.

n. a representation of a particular situation or process in such a way as to reflect or conform to an overarching set of aims or values.

“The government tried to change the narrative about the economy by focusing on new jobs.”

“Political consultants often attempt to control the media narrative by releasing specific data points that support their candidate's preferred version of events.”

Academic

03telling a story

B2

adj. relating to the telling of a story.

adj. consisting of or characterised by the telling of a story. Often used to describe a style of writing or art.

“The artist is famous for her narrative paintings that show scenes from history.”

“The poet's narrative style allows the reader to visualise the protagonist's journey through the rural landscape in vivid detail.”

Academic

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle Scots narrative, nerrative, from Middle French narratif, from Latin narrātīvus, from narrō (“to narrate”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Frequency
Common
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference