autobiography

[ˌɔːtəbaɪˈɒɡrəfi]

autobiography Definition

an account of a person's life written by that person.

Using autobiography: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "autobiography" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    Maya Angelou's 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' is a famous autobiography.

  • Example

    Nelson Mandela's 'Long Walk to Freedom' is an inspiring autobiography.

  • Example

    Benjamin Franklin's 'The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin' is a classic of American literature.

autobiography Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for autobiography

  • memoir
  • life story
  • personal history

Phrases with autobiography

  • an autobiography written by someone other than the person it is about, often with the credited author's name on the cover

    Example

    Many celebrity autobiographies are actually ghostwritten.

  • an autobiography that includes fictional elements or events

    Example

    James Frey's 'A Million Little Pieces' was marketed as a memoir but later revealed to be a fictionalized autobiography.

  • a novel that is based on the author's life but includes fictional elements or events

    Example

    Sylvia Plath's 'The Bell Jar' is an autobiographical novel.

Origins of autobiography

from Greek 'autos' meaning 'self', 'bios' meaning 'life', and 'graphein' meaning 'to write'

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Summary: autobiography in Brief

An 'autobiography' [ˌɔːtəbaɪˈɒɡrəfi] is a book written by a person about their own life. It is typically non-fiction and provides a first-person account of the author's experiences. Examples include 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' by Maya Angelou and 'The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.' Variations include ghostwritten autobiographies, which are written by someone else, and fictionalized autobiographies, which include fictional elements or events.

How do native speakers use this expression?