biography

noun

bi·​og·​ra·​phy bī-ˈä-grə-fē How to pronounce biography (audio)
 also  bē-
plural biographies
1
: a usually written history of a person's life
a new biography of Abraham Lincoln
2
: biographical writings as a whole
the genre of biography
3
: an account of the life of something (such as an animal, a coin, or a building)
the biography of the commonwealth

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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

a new biography of Abraham Lincoln an unauthorized biography of the actor gave him some serious headaches
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fremantle had considerable success with the Constantin/Amazon Studios’ We Children From Bahnhof Zoo (2021), a retelling of the drug addiction biography Christine F., famous for Uli Edel 1981 film adaptation. 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

Word History

Etymology

Late Greek biographia, from Greek bi- + -graphia -graphy

First Known Use

1665, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of biography was in 1665

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Biography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/biography. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

biography

noun
bi·​og·​ra·​phy bī-ˈäg-rə-fē How to pronounce biography (audio)
bē-
plural biographies
: a history of a person's life
biographer
-fər
noun
biographical
ˌbī-ə-ˈgraf-i-kəl
adjective
biographically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on biography

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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