documentary

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A film or TV programme that gives facts about a real subject or event.

   We watched a documentary about climate change last night.

2. 2
   adj

   Presenting real facts about a subject rather than fiction.

   The director is famous for her powerful documentary films.

3. 3
   adj

   Based on or consisting of documents.

   Historians rely on documentary evidence such as letters and records.

Common collocations

• documentary film Adjective + noun

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *deḱ-der. Proto-Italic *dokeō Latin doceō Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥tom Proto-Italic *-məntom Latin -mentum Latin documentumbor. French document Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusder. French -aire French documentairebor. English documentary From French adjective and (hence) noun documentaire, from document, from Latin documentum. Equivalent to document + -ary.

Topics

External links

• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary
• Google Images