autobiography

noun

au·​to·​bi·​og·​ra·​phy ˌȯ-tə-bī-ˈä-grə-fē 

-bē-

plural autobiographies

: the biography of a person narrated by that person : a usually written account of a person's life in their own words

celebrity autobiographies

The fall and rise of Chrysler Corporation is an oft-told tale—three books on the subject have appeared already, including Lee Iacocca's bestselling autobiography.

—Jerry Flint

Frederick Douglass's autobiographies are invaluable both for what they reveal about antebellum slavery and for what they reveal about a remarkable American.

—Peter Kolchin

This last book … is part autobiography and part fiction, though it is listed as fiction.

—Mims Cushing

Some 400 crowded both floors of the bookstore and lined up around the block as Iggy [Pop] signed the entire stock of 200 copies of his autobiography "I Need More."

—Publishers Weekly

In recent years, the biggest-selling baseball books have been autobiographies of colorful personalities, written with the aid of collaborators.

—Ray Walters

The letters are arranged chronologically and episodically to form an autobiography.

—William S. McFeely

Examples of autobiography in a Sentence

I read her autobiography last year.

Recent Examples on the Web

On the eve of Putin’s election in May 2000, the Kremlin published an autobiography and released a documentary packed with heartwarming anecdotes about Putin’s childhood and daily life. —Peter Rutland, The Conversation, 9 May 2025

In 2010, Gilbert published her autobiography Prairie Tale: A Memoir. —Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 5 May 2025

Her hardscrabble upbringing in Kentucky, immortalized in her autobiography and its film version (starring Sissy Spacek as Lynn in an Oscar-winning role), seemed to drive her unapologetic approach to music. —Lindsay Kusiak, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025

After years of denying the allegations, Rose finally admitted to betting on baseball teams, including his own, in his 2004 autobiography, Pete Rose: My Story. —Sean Neumann, People.com, 13 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

auto- + biography, perhaps after German Autobiographie

First Known Use

1797, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing autobiography

• semi-autobiography

Rhymes for autobiography

• arteriography
• biogeography
• cholangiography
• cinematography
• historiography
• photolithography
• photomicrography
• ultrasonography
• ventriculography
• angiocardiography
• electrocardiography
• arthrography

Kids Definition

autobiography

noun

au·​to·​bi·​og·​ra·​phy ˌȯt-ə-bī-ˈäg-rə-fē 

-bē-

: a biography written by the person it is about

autobiographer

-rə-fər 

noun

autobiographical

-ˌbī-ə-ˈgraf-i-kəl 

adjective

also autobiographic

-ˈgraf-ik 

autobiographically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb