Meanings
plural commentaries
- countableuncountableA series of comments or annotations; especially, a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of some other work.
This letter […] was published by him with a severe commentary.
1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC1 more example
Under each coin was a circular ticket with written particulars of the specimen accompanying it. For some time Carrados took little interest in these commentaries, but presently Hosier noticed that his guest was submitting many of them to a close but quiet scrutiny.
1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLCSynonyms: scholia, secondary source
- countableplural normallyuncountableA brief account of transactions or events written hastily, as if for a memorandum.
Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA series of comments or annotations; especially, a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of some other work.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latincommentārius
- Middle Frenchcommentaire
- Englishcommentary
From Middle French commentaire, from Latin commentārius, commentārium (“notebook”), compare French commentaire. See comment.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek σχόλια, παρεκβολή
- σχόλια (skhólia)A series of comments or annotations
- παρεκβολή (parekbolḗ)A series of comments or annotations
- ὑπόμνημα (hupómnēma)A series of comments or annotations
Arabic تَعْلِيق
- تَعْلِيق (taʕlīq)An oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Basque iruzkin, azalpen
- iruzkinA series of comments or annotations
- azalpenA series of comments or annotations
- zeresanA series of comments or annotations
Bulgarian коментар, репортаж
- коментар (komentar)A series of comments or annotations
- репортаж (reportaž)A brief account of transactions or events written hastily
Catalan comentari, comentari
- comentariA series of comments or annotations
- comentariA brief account of transactions or events written hastily
Dutch commentaar, voice-over
- commentaarAn oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
- voice-overAn oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Esperanto komentaro
- komentaroA series of comments or annotations
Finnish kommentaari, kommentaari
- kommentaariA series of comments or annotations
- kommentaariA brief account of transactions or events written hastily
- selostusAn oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
German Kommentar
- KommentarA series of comments or annotations
Greek σχόλια, σχολιασμός
- σχόλια (schólia)A series of comments or annotations
- σχολιασμός (scholiasmós)An oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Hebrew פירוש, הערות
- פירוש (perúsh)A series of comments or annotations
- הערות (hearót)A brief account of transactions or events written hastily
- דיווח (divúakh)An oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Hindi विवरण, व्याख्या
- विवरण (vivraṇ)A series of comments or annotations
- व्याख्या (vyākhyā)A series of comments or annotations
- निर्वचन (nirvacan)A series of comments or annotations
- व्याख्या (vyākhyā)An oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Hungarian kommentár
- kommentárA series of comments or annotations
Indonesian komentar, ulasan
- komentarA series of comments or annotations
- ulasanA series of comments or annotations
Latin comentārium, commentārium
- comentāriumA series of comments or annotations
- commentāriumA series of comments or annotations
Polish komentarz
- komentarzA series of comments or annotations
Portuguese comentário
- comentárioA series of comments or annotations
Russian коммента́рий, аннота́ция
- коммента́рий (kommentárij)A series of comments or annotations
- аннота́ция (annotácija)A series of comments or annotations
- репорта́ж (reportáž)An oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Scottish Gaelic iomradh, iomradh
- iomradhA series of comments or annotations
- iomradhA brief account of transactions or events written hastily
Spanish comentario, comentarios
- comentarioA series of comments or annotations
- comentariosAn oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
- comentarismoAn oral description of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs
Cite this entry
commentary. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commentary
“commentary.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commentary. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “commentary,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/commentary.
Source: commentary on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.