Autobiography Definition, Examples & Writing Tips

Meaning 1：self-written life story (autobiography)

autobiography 🔊

/ˌɔː.tə.baɪˈɒɡ.rə.fi/

A book that a person writes about their own life and experiences.

Elderly writer composing autobiography at desk with photos

self-written life story 🔊

➕

/self ˈrɪt.ən laɪf ˈstɔː.ri/

A detailed account of a person's own life, written by that person.

📁 Category：Culture & History 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

auto- (self) + bio- (life) + -graphy (writing) → a writing about one's own life.

💡 Mnemonic

Auto = self, bio = life, graph = write → I write my own life story.

📖 Example

My grandmother is writing her autobiography to document her incredible journey from a small village to becoming a successful artist. 🔊 My grandmother is writing her autobiography to document her incredible journey from a small village to becoming a successful artist.

🔗 Collocations

write an autobiography – compose a personal life story

publish an autobiography – release a self-written life account for public

read an autobiography – go through a person's own life narrative

🔄 Synonyms

memoir (n.) – A historical account or biography written from personal knowledge or special sources.

life story (n.) – A narrative of the events in a person's life.

personal history (n.) – An account of a person's own experiences and background.

🚫 Antonyms

biography (n.) – A book about someone else's life, written by another person.

fiction (n.) – A literary work based on imagination rather than fact.

🌱 Derivatives

autobiographical (adj.) – Relating to or in the style of an autobiography.

autobiographer (n.) – A person who writes an autobiography.

autobiographically (adv.) – In an autobiographical manner.

📖 Cultural Story

From Greek 'autos' (self) + 'bios' (life) + 'graphein' (to write). First used in English in the 18th century. Modernly, celebrities and historical figures publish autobiographies to share personal journeys.