noun
Uncommon
memoir
MEHM-wah
Memoir (noun) means a book or piece of writing describing the author's own life and personal experiences. Example: “She wrote a memoir about growing up in wartime London.”
noun
1
A book or piece of writing describing the author's own life and personal experiences.
"James wrote a memoir of his grandmother shortly after she passed away."
"When I retire, I'm going to write my memoirs."
"She wrote a memoir about growing up in wartime London."
"The retired chef is writing a memoir about his years in busy kitchens."
"I borrowed a memoir from the library and finished it in two days."
How to use memoir
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA book about someone's own life, usually focused on particular experiences rather than a full biography.
Common mistake
A memoir usually covers a specific period or theme in someone's life; an autobiography aims to cover the whole life story.
Easily confused with
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Word forms
- Plural
- memoirs
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She wrote a _____ about growing up in wartime London.
Etymology
Borrowed from French mémoire ("memory, account"), ultimately from Latin memoria.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for memoir
See all rhymes for 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.
