biographybi‧og‧ra‧phy /baɪˈɒɡrəfi $ -ˈɑːɡ-/ ●●○ noun (plural biographies) 
Word Origin
Boswell’s biography of Samuel Johnson► see thesaurus at book2[uncountable] literature that consists of biographies → autobiography—biographical /ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl◂/ adjective: biographical information
Word OriginWORD ORIGINbiography
ExamplesOrigin:
1600-1700 Late Greek biographia, from Greek bio- ( ➔ BIO-) + -graphia ‘-graphy’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
Thesaurus- 'Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now' is an authorized biography of the former Beatle by Barry Miles.
- Boswell's biography of Dr Johnson
- He has slammed an unauthorised biography which he claims contains 'factual errors'.
- Isaac Deutscher's outstanding biographies of Stalin and Trotsky
- She's the author of three acclaimed biographies.
- She is the author of several books, including a biography of the artist Salvador Dali.
- This is a competent and well-researched biography.
- At first, these biographies were simply invented.
- But Wyler is barely more visible in his biography than in his films.
- Moral careers, as we have seen, are lives organised around exemplary biographies.
- No biographies have been written about him, and none ever will be.
- Odo's biography was written by a monk who had little interest in the miraculous and much in practical virtues.
- Plowing through this masterpiece of biography, he was haunted by a question.
- She wrote the first Kerouac biography in 1973.
- The third was a lengthy and dully-written biography of a late nineteenth-century general.
THESAURUStypes of book► novel
Collocations noun [countable] a book about imaginary people and events: · The film is based on Nick Hornby’s best-selling novel.· a historical novel
► fiction noun [uncountable] books that describe imaginary people and events: · She reads a lot of romantic fiction.
► literature noun [uncountable] novels and plays that are considered to be important works of art: · I’m studying American literature at university.
► non-fiction noun [uncountable] books that describe real people and events: · Men tend to prefer non-fiction.
► science fiction noun [uncountable] books about imaginary events in the future or space travel
► reference book noun [countable] a book such as a dictionary or encyclopedia, which you look at to find information
► textbook noun [countable] a book about a particular subject that you use in a classroom
► set book, course book British English British English noun [countable] a book that you have to study as part of your course
► guidebook noun [countable] a book telling visitors about a city or country
► picture book noun [countable] a book for children with many pictures in it
► hardcover/hardback noun [countable] a book that has a hard stiff cover
► paperback noun [countable] a book that has a paper cover
► biography noun [countable] a book about a real person’s life, written by another person
► autobiography noun [countable] a book that someone has written about their own life
► recipe book/cookery book British English (also cookbook American English) noun [countable] a book that tells you how to cook different meals
Longman Language Activatora book about someone's life► biography a book about someone's life, written by another person: · She's the author of three acclaimed biographies.· This is a competent and well-researched biography.biography of: · Boswell's biography of Dr Johnsonauthorized biography (=approved by the person being written about): · 'Paul McCartney: Many Years from Now' is an authorized biography of the former Beatle by Barry Miles.unauthorized biography (=not approved by the person written about): · He has slammed an unauthorised biography which he claims contains 'factual errors'.
► autobiography a book in which someone writes about their own life: · Although she has written three novels, this autobiography is her first published work.somebody's autobiography: · In her autobiography, Doris Lessing writes about her childhood in Zimbabwe.· The incident is recounted in his autobiography.
► memoirs the story of your own life which you have written yourself, especially about your involvement in important political or military events: somebody's memoirs: · The duke's memoirs will be serialised in The Sunday Times.· Reading Bready's unpublished memoirs, I was struck by her courage and resilience. · 'I felt lost, abandoned,' she wrote in her memoirs.
► diary a book in which you write down the things that happen to you each day, and your private thoughts: · I wouldn't really show anyone my diary, not even you.keep a diary (of something) (=write in a diary each day): · During his illness, David kept a diary, which his family hopes to publish.· I decided to keep a diary of our trip to Toronto.
► journal a diary, especially one written by a famous or important person: · In the 1837 journal, Darwin gives an account of his voyage to South America. · Her book draws on letters, diaries, journals and historical sources.somebody's journal: · I was given access to his private papers and journals.· Jewish life is poignantly described in Wiesel's journal, "The Jews of Silence".
the story of a real person's life► biography a book that is the story of a famous person's life: · She is the author of several books, including a biography of the artist Salvador Dali.· Isaac Deutscher's outstanding biographies of Stalin and Trotsky
► life the story of a famous person's life , as described in a book, or shown in paintings or a film: · Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson was published in 1791.· The lower series of frescoes describe the life of Saint Francis of Assisi.
► life story an account, especially a spoken account, of the main events that have happened in someone's life: · When you meet someone for the first time, they don't want your entire life story in detail.· The newspaper has been running his life story for the past two weeks.
WORD SETS► Historyage, nounallied, adjectivebarbarian, nounbaroque, adjectivebarrow, nounbattlements, nounbestiary, nounbiography, nounBlack Death, the, bloodletting, nounchivalry, nouncircus, nounclassical, adjectivecolony, nounconquistador, noundolmen, noundominion, noundoublet, noundragoon, nounducking stool, noundunce's cap, nounEdwardian, adjectiveElizabethan, adjectiveepoch, nounera, nounfeudalism, nounforum, noungalleon, noungalley, noungenealogy, noungladiator, nounGraeco-, prefixGrecian, adjectiveGreco-, prefixHellene, nounHellenic, adjectiveherald, nounhighwayman, nounhistorian, nounhistoric, adjectivehistorical, adjectiveIce Age, nounindustrial archaeology, nounIndustrial Revolution, the, nouninterwar, adjectiveIron Curtain, the, Jacobite, nounlocal history, nounlord, nounmedieval, adjectiveMoorish, adjectiveNorman, adjectiveNorse, adjectivepage, nounpageant, nounpaladin, nounpalimpsest, nounpapyrus, nounparchment, nounpatrician, adjectivepennon, nounperiod piece, nounprehistoric, adjectiveprehistory, nounquarterstaff, nounredcoat, nounreeve, nounRegency, adjectiveRomano-, prefixromanticism, nountime capsule, nounTudor, adjectiveVictorian, adjectiveVictorian, nounWhig, nounzeitgeist, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE► new
Phrases· Warren Rudman in a candid new biography.· I also reported that Tom Bower, biographer of Robert Maxwell, had a new biography deal.· Marje now admits that her carefully nurtured image has been torn apart by revelations from a new biography.
VERB► include· Also, include a brief biography and, if possible, a picture.
► read· In fact, you will find very little of interest at all if you have read any previous Fitzgerald biographies.· His reading consisted mostly of biography and works on history, government, and politics.· It's like reading a biography of a favourite author to learn what makes them tick.· I would read biography after biography as a kid.· She remembered reading a biography of a Tsarist émigré after the Revolution and the phrase came back to her.· About three years ago, she started reading biographies about her grandfather because she wanted to learn the truth for herself.· He would read every current biography, and nearly every government white paper.
► write· She was a well-known author in her day, writing fiction, biographies, translations, and even plays for children.· She wrote the first Kerouac biography in 1973.· He did not write a biography.· Maybe he would write her biography.· They had met originally when Verrall was writing a biography of Cromwell for which William had done much of the research.· Why nobody has ever written a biography of David is beyond me.· Ermold wrote his verse biography of Louis to win back imperial favour.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES► potted history/biography/version
1[countable] a book that tells what has happened in someone’s life, written by someone elsebiography of- Keeping a job file Your employer will have a personnel file containing a potted history of your career with the company.
- Martin's potted history of each railway is certainly sufficiently detailed to whet the appetite enough to free buttocks from armchair Dralon.
- They were farcically satirical potted biographies in sets of two rhyming couplets.
- Woven into these personal accounts are potted histories of disturbing events, ancient and modern.
Boswell’s biography of Samuel Johnson► see thesaurus at book2[uncountable] literature that consists of biographies → autobiography—biographical /ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkəl◂/ adjective: biographical information