Agency Dictionary

narrative

nounPronunciation: /ˈnærətɪv/

In Portuguese: narrativa

Writing & Narrative

What does “narrative” mean?

A spoken or written account of connected events, forming a coherent story or conceptual perspective.

Etymology

Entered English from Middle French narratif and directly from Late Latin narrātīvus (suited to narrating, pertaining to the act of telling), an adjective formed from narrāre (to tell, to recount). The Latin verb narrāre is likely related to gnārus (knowing, acquainted with), suggesting that narrating was first the act of making something known to another. The word moved from an adjectival Latin sense to the noun use that now dominates, naming both the account itself and the craft of telling it.

Usage note

Used as both noun and adjective. In cultural and media studies, 'the narrative' often means the dominant frame or account shaping public understanding of an event, beyond any single story.

Synonyms

account
story
tale
chronicle
recounting

Word family

narrate
narrator
narration
narratology
narratively

Usage examples

They are buying a story, a narrative, a brand.

Concepts

Source editions

Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.

Words of the same theme

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Discursiveadjective: Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
paperweightnoun: A small, heavy object placed on loose sheets of paper to prevent them from scattering or blowing away.
quotationnoun: A group of words taken verbatim from a published text or speech and repeated by another author.
omissionnoun: The intentional or accidental act of leaving something out or excluding details from a statement or text.
Treatisenoun: A formal, systematic, and comprehensive written work dealing methodically with the principles and evidence of a particular philosophical, scientific, or technical subject.
Maximnoun: A concise statement expressing a fundamental principle, general truth, or practical rule of conduct.
verbatimadjective: In exactly the same words as the original, word for word. Said of a quotation or a transcription that changes nothing.
rhetoricnoun: The art of effective and persuasive speaking or writing, especially through strategic linguistic devices.
literary devicenoun: A technique that a writer uses to produce a particular effect or to convey meaning, such as metaphor, irony, repetition, quotation or aphorism.
Accuracynoun: The degree of precision, correctness, and exactitude with which a message or action reaches its intended mark.

Also from these editions: terms

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aestheticsnoun: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, artistic taste, and style.
Authenticitynoun: The quality of being real, genuine, and true to one's own character or stated origins.
baronnoun: A member of the aristocracy, or an influential magnate exercising commanding power in a specific industry.
Bifurcationnoun: The division of something into two separate branches, directions, or parts.
caffeinenoun: A naturally occurring central nervous system stimulant found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cacao pods.
cinnamonnoun: An aromatic spice obtained from the stripped inner bark of several tree species of the genus Cinnamomum.
commoditynoun: A basic primary good, agricultural staple, or raw material that is interchangeable with other goods of the same type.
Contextualadjective: Depending on, relevant to, or determined by the surrounding circumstances or environment.
Differentiationnoun: The act or process of distinguishing between two or more items or establishing uniqueness.
eccentricadjective: Deviating from conventional, customary, or established norms, particularly in personality, style, or flavor.
espressonoun: A concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing pressurized hot water through finely ground coffee beans.