frame story: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

No, though they can overlap. A flashback is a break in chronology to an earlier event. A frame story is a structural device where an outer story encloses inner ones. A frame story may use flashbacks as its inner narratives, but not all flashbacks occur within a formal frame story.

Yes. The framing element can be a brief prologue and epilogue (e.g., 'The Princess Bride' novel's conceit of an abridged version of a fictional text). Its length is less important than its structural function of enclosing other narratives.

Purposes include: providing a reason for telling the inner stories, creating thematic contrast or commentary, adding layers of perspective and reliability (a story being told by a specific character), and structurally unifying a collection of disparate tales.

Typically not. It is an open compound noun ('frame story'), though in attributive use it is sometimes hyphenated for clarity (e.g., 'a frame-story technique'). 'Framing story' is also common and follows the same rule.

A narrative technique where a story serves as an outer frame that contains and introduces one or more distinct inner stories.

Frame story is usually formal, literary, academic in register.

Frame story: in British English it is pronounced /ˈfreɪm ˌstɔː.ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈfreɪm ˌstɔːr.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.