biography
B2Formal
Definition
Meaning
A written account of someone's life, typically focusing on the significant events, experiences, and achievements of that person.
A detailed narrative or study of the life and character of a person; more broadly, can refer to the genre of literature devoted to such accounts, or the story or historical record of an institution, object, or concept.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Specifically refers to a narrative about a real person's life written by another person (distinct from autobiography, which is written by the subject themselves). Implies a structured, researched narrative rather than a simple list of facts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in the core meaning or typical use. Spelling of the verb form 'biographise/biographize' may show regional preference ('-ise' vs. '-ize'), but the noun is identical.
Connotations
Equally formal and academic in both varieties. The term carries the same gravitas and implies a substantial, researched work.
Frequency
Equally common in both varieties. The verb form 'to biography' is extremely rare in both but slightly more attested in historical American journalistic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
biography of + [Person/Subject]biography about + [Person/Subject]biography by + [Author]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[to be] the subject of a biography”
- “[to be] biography-worthy”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might refer to a corporate history or the biography of a founder in promotional materials.
Academic
Common in literary studies, history, and cultural studies as a genre and object of analysis.
Everyday
Used when discussing books, films, or historical/literary figures.
Technical
Specific use in library and information science as a classification (Biography section).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The journalist was commissioned to biography the retiring prime minister.
- Few modern figures have been so extensively biographised.
American English
- The author plans to biography the tech entrepreneur next.
- His life has been biographized several times.
adverb
British English
- The book is biographically informative but dry.
- He approached the subject biographically, tracing her life year by year.
American English
- The article is written biographically, focusing on her early struggles.
- She is biographically linked to the Impressionist movement.
adjective
British English
- The biographical details were meticulously researched.
- She has a biographical dictionary of artists.
American English
- He is working on a biographical film about a jazz musician.
- The library's biographical section is quite extensive.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I am reading a biography of a famous footballer.
- She likes books, especially biographies.
- The new biography of the scientist explains his most important discoveries.
- He found some surprising facts in the president's biography.
- The unauthorised biography revealed several controversial aspects of the actor's private life.
- The historian is acclaimed for her meticulously researched biographies of medieval queens.
- The biography deftly intertwines the subject's personal turmoil with the broader socio-political landscape of the era.
- This critical biography seeks to deconstruct the mythologised persona that has surrounded the poet for decades.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think BIO (life) + GRAPHY (writing) = writing about a life.
Conceptual Metaphor
A LIFE IS A BOOK / A LIFE IS A NARRATIVE JOURNEY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'биография' (biografiya), which can also mean a formal CV or resume in administrative contexts. The English 'biography' is almost exclusively a book-length narrative.
- Do not directly translate 'биографический фильм' as 'biographic film'; the English term is 'biopic' (/'baɪ.əʊ.pɪk/).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'biography' to mean an autobiography ('She wrote her own biography').
- Using it as a direct synonym for a short bio or CV ('Please submit your biography with the application').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'biography'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A biography is written by someone else about the subject. An autobiography is written by the subject about their own life.
Yes, but it is very rare and often considered non-standard or jargonistic (e.g., 'to biography someone'). The more common constructions are 'to write a biography of' or 'to author a biography'.
No. A 'biopic' (biographical picture) is a film dramatisation of a person's life. A 'biography' is specifically a written work.
It is a biography written without the subject's permission, cooperation, or editorial control. It may rely on external sources and can sometimes be more critical or revelatory.