memoir

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)mer-der.? Latin memor Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin memoria Old French memoire Middle French memoire French mémoirebor. English memoir Borrowed from French mémoire, from Middle French memoire, from Old French memoire, from Latin memoria. Doublet of memoria and memory.

1. An autobiography; a book describing the personal experiences of an author.

   “When I retire, I'm going to write my memoirs.”

2. A biography; a book describing the experiences of a subject from personal knowledge of the subject or from sources with personal knowledge of the subject.

   “James wrote a memoir of his grandmother shortly after she passed away.”

3. Any form of narrative describing the personal experiences of a writer.