memoir

noun

mem·​oir ˈmem-ˌwär 

-ˌwȯr

1

: an official note or report : memorandum

2

a

: a narrative composed from personal experience

every memoir reminds us of the faraway and long ago, of loss and change, of persons and places beyond recall

—Abigail McCarthy

b

: autobiography

—usually used in plural

His memoirs recall his student days at Harvard.

c

: biography

his memoir of his longtime friend

3

a

: an account of something noteworthy : report

the work described and discussed in this memoir represent a first-class investigation

—J. A. Steers

b

memoirs plural : the record of the proceedings of a learned society

memoirist

ˈmem-ˌwär-ist 

-ˌwȯr-

noun

Synonyms

• bio
• biography
• life

Examples of memoir in a Sentence

a retired politician who is writing his memoirs

He has written a memoir of his mother.

a memoir of Hollywood in the 1930s

Recent Examples on the Web

Her memoir, released in September, chronicles her upbringing in Miami, her education at Harvard and some of her first moments as a member of the high court. —Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024

Her memoir, Combat Love: A Story of Leaving, Longing and Searching for Home, published this year, has been optioned for film and TV from Tiwary Entertainment Group. —Bryan Robinson, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024

Kendall Jenner has been a notable subject of interest ever since she was spotted poolside with author Darcie Wilder’s memoir, Literally Show Me a Healthy Person, in 2019. —Sydney Gore, Architectural Digest, 13 Dec. 2024

Nothing is off limits in Gypsy-Rose Blanchard's gripping new memoir. —Janine Rubenstein, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French memoire, from memoire memory, from Latin memoria

First Known Use

1571, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

memoir

noun

mem·​oir ˈmem-ˌwär 

-ˌwȯ(ə)r

1

a

: a story of a personal experience

b

: autobiography

—usually used in plural

c

: biography

2

: report entry 1 sense 2