biography
noun
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So You've Been Asked to Submit a Biography
In a library, the word biography refers both to a kind of book and to a section where books of that kind are found. Each biography tells the story of a real person's life. A biography may be about someone who lived long ago, recently, or even someone who is still living, though in the last case it must necessarily be incomplete. The term autobiography refers to a biography written by the person it's about. Autobiographies are of course also necessarily incomplete.
Sometimes biographies are significantly shorter than a book—something anyone who's been asked to submit a biography for, say, a conference or a community newsletter will be glad to know. Often the word in these contexts is shortened to bio, a term that can be both a synonym of biography and a term for what is actually a biographical sketch: a brief description of a person's life. These kinds of biographies—bios—vary, but many times they are only a few sentences long. Looking at bios that have been used in the same context can be a useful guide in determining what to put in your own.
Examples of biography in a Sentence
Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2025
His reputation as a lawyer is likely why leaders in his county selected him for a seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1765, wrote historian Richard R. Beeman in his 1974 biography of Henry.
—Cassandra Good, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2025
Later this year, according to Sotheby’s, a biography by author Ricardo Cota will be released.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 21 Mar. 2025
Looking back, most of the military trailblazers who were part of an ethnic minority or historically underrepresented groups were described as such, with their names listed alongside their ethnic background as part of their military biography.
—Doug Melville, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for biography
Cite this Entry
“Biography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biography. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.
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biography
noun
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