Story Definition & Meaning

American

British

Idioms

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms story 1 American [stawr-ee, stohr-ee] / ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i /

noun

plural

stories

1. a narrative, either true or fictitious, in prose or verse, designed to interest, amuse, or instruct the hearer or reader; tale.

   Synonyms: chronicle, history, record, anecdote, romance, fable, legend

2. a fictitious tale, shorter and less elaborate than a novel.

3. such narratives or tales as a branch of literature.

   song and story.

4. the plot or succession of incidents of a novel, poem, drama, etc..

   The characterizations were good, but the story was weak.

5. a narration of an incident or a series of events or an example of these that is or may be narrated, as an anecdote, joke, etc.

   Synonyms: recital

6. a narration of the events in the life of a person or the existence of a thing, or such events as a subject for narration.

   the story of medicine; the story of his life.

7. a report or account of a matter; statement or allegation.

   The story goes that he rejected the offer.

   Synonyms: description

8. news story.

9. a lie or fabrication.

   What he said about himself turned out to be a story.

10. Obsolete. history.

verb (used with object)

storied, storying

1. to ornament with pictured scenes, as from history or legend.

2. Obsolete. to tell the history or story of.

story 2 American [stawr-ee, stohr-ee] / ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i / especially British, storey

noun

plural

stories

1. a complete horizontal section of a building, having one continuous or practically continuous floor.

2. the set of rooms on the same floor or level of a building.

3. any major horizontal architectural division, as of a façade or the wall of a nave.

4. a layer.

Story 3 American [stawr-ee, stohr-ee] / ˈstɔr i, ˈstoʊr i /

noun

1. Joseph, 1779–1845, U.S. jurist.

2. William Wetmore 1819–95, U.S. sculptor and poet.

story 1 British / ˈstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. a narration of a chain of events told or written in prose or verse

2. Also called: short story. a piece of fiction, briefer and usually less detailed than a novel

3. Also called: story line. the plot of a book, film, etc

4. an event that could be the subject of a narrative

5. a report or statement on a matter or event

6. the event or material for such a report

7. informal a lie, fib, or untruth

8. to leave out details in a narration

9. informal the familiar or regular course of events

10. it is commonly said or believed

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. to decorate (a pot, wall, etc) with scenes from history or legends

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 story 2 British / ˈstɔːrɪ /

noun

1. another spelling (esp US) of storey

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 story Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing story

• cock and bull story
• cover story
• fish story
• hard-luck story
• make a long story short
• old story
• same old story
• shaggy dog story
• sob story
• upper story

Other Word Forms

• storyless adjective

Etymology

Origin of story1

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English stori(e), store, “(written or oral) narrative; history,” from Anglo-French (e)storie ( Old French estoire), from Latin historia history

Origin of story2

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English stori(e), from Anglo-Latin (hi)storia architetcure term for a picture decorating a building, a part of the building so decorated, hence floor, story, from Latin historia history

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As the two old men told their stories, a youngster brushed past them, a machete slung over his shoulder.

From Barron's

Other financially independent parents are sharing similar stories in books, blogs and podcasts to provide an alternative to the high-cost, high-stress reality most families find themselves in.

From MarketWatch

He said: "George had an issue, so probably could have been a different story but happy to be on pole for the first time."

From BBC

To veteran researcher John Roman, the crime reduction is a national story with a handful of broad explanations.

From The Wall Street Journal

Cornwall's first fully licensed wild beaver release marks a major moment in Britain's rewilding story.

From BBC

Related Words

• adventure
• anecdote
• article
• autobiography
• biography
• book
• comedy
• description
• drama
• fable
• fantasy
• feature
• fiction
• history
• information
• legend
• memoir
• myth
• narrative
• novel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.