memoir
2 synonyms and 0 antonyms for memoir, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A book or piece of writing describing the author's own life and personal experiences.
Synonyms
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Etymology
Borrowed from French mémoire ("memory, account"), ultimately from Latin memoria.
Full origin of memoir →Frequently asked questions
What does “memoir” mean?
The word “memoir” means a book or piece of writing describing the author's own life and personal experiences. In plain terms, a book about someone's own life, usually focused on particular experiences rather than a full biography.
How do you pronounce “memoir”?
“Memoir” is pronounced MEHM-wah (/ˈmɛmˌwɑɹ/ in IPA).
How do you use “memoir” in a sentence?
Here is “memoir” used in a sentence: “She wrote a memoir about growing up in wartime London.”
What part of speech is “memoir”?
“Memoir” is a noun.
Where does the word “memoir” come from?
The word “memoir” comes from Latin. Borrowed from French mémoire ("memory, account"), ultimately from Latin memoria.
Is “memoir” a common word?
“Memoir” is an uncommon word in modern English.
What is the difference between a memoir and an autobiography?
A memoir focuses on a specific period, theme, or set of personal experiences in the author's life, often written with a narrower, more reflective lens. An autobiography aims to cover the author's entire life story from beginning to the present, in a more comprehensive and chronological way.
What is the difference between a memoir and a biography?
A memoir is written by the subject themselves about their own life and experiences. A biography is written by someone else about another person's life, drawing on research rather than firsthand memory.
Does a memoir have to be entirely factual?
A memoir is meant to describe the author's own life and personal experiences truthfully, though it typically reflects the author's subjective memory and perspective rather than being a strictly documented historical record. This distinguishes it from more rigorously fact-checked forms of nonfiction.