die Biographie, -n

The German word "Biographie" is a noun meaning "biography". It consists of two parts derived from Greek roots:

• Bio- (Greek bios): life
• -graphie (Greek graphia): writing or description

Hence, "Biographie" literally means "writing about life."

Similar words:

• Lebensgeschichte (life story)
• Porträt (portrait, can be used metaphorically for a life description)
• Memoiren (memoirs)

Differences:

• Biographie typically refers to a factual, structured account of a person's life, usually written by someone else.
• Lebensgeschichte is more informal, often a narrative told by the person themselves.
• Memoiren are personal recollections, more subjective and selective.
• Porträt focuses often on a person’s character or description, not necessarily their full life.