English · Word Candidate

memoir

/ˈmɛmˌwɑː/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: memoirs

Sense 1

Meaning · English

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

Noun

Examples

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

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

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.

Noun

Examples

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

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “memoir” mean?

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

Is “memoir” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.