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commentary - 4 dictionary results

com⋅men⋅tar⋅y

  [kom-uhn-ter-ee]
Use commentary in a Sentence
–noun, plural -tar⋅ies.
1. a series of comments, explanations, or annotations: a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.
2. an explanatory essay or treatise: a commentary on a play; Blackstone's commentaries on law.
3. anything serving to illustrate a point, prompt a realization, or exemplify, esp. in the case of something unfortunate: The dropout rate is a sad commentary on our school system.
4. Usually, commentaries. records of facts or events: Commentaries written by Roman lawyers give us information on how their courts functioned.
Origin:
1375–1425; late ME commentaries (pl.) < L commentārium notebook, n. use of neut. of commentārius, equiv. to comment(um) comment + -ārius -ary

Related forms:
com⋅men⋅tar⋅i⋅al  [kom-uhn-tair-ee-uhl] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To commentary
com·men·tar·y   (kŏm'ən-těr'ē)   
n.   pl. com·men·tar·ies
  1. A series of explanations or interpretations.
  2. An expository treatise or series of annotations; an exegesis. Often used in the plural.
  3. An apt explanation or illustration: a scandal that is a sad commentary on national politics.
  4. A personal narrative; a memoir. Often used in the plural.
com'men·tar'i·al (-târ'ē-əl) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Commentary

Com"men*ta*ry\, n.; pl. Commentaries. [L. commentarius, commentarium, note book, commentary: cf. F. commentaire. See Comment, v. i.]

1. A series of comments or annotations; esp., a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of the Scriptures or of some other work.

This letter . . . was published by him with a severe commentary. --Hallam.

2. A brief account of transactions or events written hastily, as if for a memorandum; -- usually in the plural; as, Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : commentary
Spanish: comentario, crítica,
German: der Kommentar,
Japanese: 実況解説
More Translations »

commentary 
1531, from L. commentarius "notebook, annotation," from commentum (see comment). Originally in Eng. as an adj.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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