# commentary

Pronunciation: US say "KAH-muhn-tair-ee" /ˈkɑ.mənˌtɛɹ.i/; say "KOM-uhn-tuh-ree" UK /ˈkɒm.ən.t(ə.)ɹi/, AUS /ˈkɔm.ən.t(ə.)ɹi/

## Noun

1. A spoken account of an event, especially one broadcast on television or radio as it takes place.
   - Simple: Spoken description of an event, like a sports game, given while it is happening.
   - _Live commentary from the stadium kept listeners updated on every play._
   - _The announcer's commentary grew more excited as the runners neared the finish line._
2. A series of explanatory comments or annotations, especially a book that explains all or part of another work.
   - Simple: Notes that explain another piece of writing, often collected together in a book.
   - _The new translation comes with extensive commentary on the historical background of each chapter._
   - _Scholars still consult medieval commentary on Aristotle's writings._
3. A brief, hastily written record of transactions or events, set down as if for a memorandum.
   - Simple: Short, quickly written notes about things that happened, made to help you remember them.
   - _The general's commentary, jotted down each evening in the field, later formed the basis of his memoirs._
   - _Among his papers was hasty commentary recording the prices paid at each market town._

## Origin

It comes from Middle French commentaire, from Latin commentārius or commentārium, meaning "notebook."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/commentary (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).