biographical

IPA/ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkl/
KK[bˌaɪəɡrˈæfɪkəl]IPA/ˌbaɪəˈɡræfɪkl/

biographical — adjective

  • biographicalpositive
  • more biographicalcomparative
  • most biographicalsuperlative

1. about the events and details in a real person's life.

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

about the events and details in a real person's life.

Example

The museum added biographical notes beside each singer's stage costume.

biographical notes

A biographical film about Frida Kahlo opened at the town cinema.

biographical film

Common collocations
  • biographical film
  • biographical details
  • biographical sketch
  • biographical notes
  • biographical article
Synonyms
  • biographic

    a shorter variant, but much less common in ordinary use

  • autobiographical

    used when the life material comes from the subject's own point of view

  • personal

    broader and less exact; it can describe private feelings without telling a life story

Antonyms
  • fictional

    used for invented people or events rather than a real person's life

Grammar Patterns

biographical + film

biographical + details

biographical + sketch

be biographical

Usage Note

Usually comes before nouns such as 'film', 'details', 'notes', and 'sketch'. After 'be', it often contrasts with words like 'historical' or 'political' to show that the focus is one person's life rather than wider events.

Common Mistakes

The article gives many biography details about the actor.
The article gives many biographical details about the actor.
Use the adjective before 'details'; 'biography' is the noun.
It is an autobiographical film about the king, made by a TV studio.
It is a biographical film about the king.
'Autobiographical' is used when the work comes from the subject's own life or viewpoint.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Biographical' is the most neutral word for material that presents facts or stories from a real person's life. 'Biographic' is a shorter variant, but it is far less common and can sound more technical. 'Autobiographical' is different because the life material comes from the subject's own memory or point of view. 'Personal' is broader: a personal essay may reveal feelings or private experience without trying to present a life story. 'Historical' can overlap when a work is about a famous person from the past, but it usually gives more weight to events and public background. Compare 'a biographical film about Mandela' with 'an autobiographical novel by the writer herself' and 'a historical drama about the war'.

biographical ↗biographic ↗autobiographical ↗personal ↗historical ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • biographical film
  • biographical details
  • biographical sketch
  • biographical notes
  • biographical article

Phrases

  • brief biographical details
  • a biographical film about [person]
  • a biographical sketch of [person]

Etymology

GreekLatinFrenchEnglish

Formed in English by adding the adjective ending '-al' to 'biography'. The older base word came into English through French and Latin from Greek parts meaning 'life' and 'writing'. That history explains why 'biographical' is used for books, films, articles, and other material about a person's life.