narrative
- A spoken or written account of connected events; a story.
- As an adjective: relating to the art or practice of storytelling.
In a sentence
- The documentary challenged the dominant political narrative about the causes of the financial crisis.
- She wove together personal letters and diary entries to create a compelling narrative of wartime life.
Usage note. In contemporary media and political discourse, 'narrative' has broadened to mean an overarching interpretation or framing of events; some critics consider this usage overworked, so prefer 'story' or 'account' in informal writing.
Where it comes from
English narrative · entered English 15th c.
From Latin 'narrativus,' meaning 'suited for narration,' derived from 'narrare' (to tell, relate), possibly connected to 'gnarus' (knowing). It passed into English via Old French 'narratif' in the 15th century, initially in legal and rhetorical contexts.