story

STOR-ee/ˈstɔ.ɹi/STAW-ree/ˈstɔː.ɹi/

Pluralstories

UK spellingstorey · for a floor of a building

12 meanings of story

Practice

1
nouncountable
An account of things that happened or were imagined, told aloud or in writing.
Like a picture painted with words, showing what happened.
She read the children a bedtime story before they fell asleep.
He told us a funny story about getting lost on his trip.
UsageSay tell a story: she told us a story.
Similartale, account, narrative
2
what's going onnouncountable
The set of events or facts behind a situation, of the kind you might tell about.
The scar on his hand has an interesting story behind it.
Nobody knew the real story of how the company collapsed.
UsageSay the story behind something, or what's the story? to ask what is happening.
Similarnarrative
3
floornouncountable
One of the floors or levels of a building or ship.
Our apartment is on the top story of the building.
The new hospital will be ten stories tall.
UsageSay a ten-story building. In British English it is storey.
Similarfloor, level

Less common meanings

4
false accountnouncountable
A lie, or something made up that isn't true.
Don't tell me a story. I know you broke the vase.
The boy made up a story about why he was late.
UsageSay someone made up a story.
Similarlie, fib, fabrication, falsehood, invention
Oppositetruth, fact
5
disappearing postnouncountable
A set of photos or short videos posted on an app that usually vanishes after a day.
Like a note you pin up that comes down again the next day.
She posted a story showing her morning coffee.
His story disappeared after twenty-four hours.
UsageSay you post a story or add a photo to your story.
Note
6
verbtransitive or intransitive
To post photos or short videos as a story on an app.
Don't story that. It's embarrassing!
She stories on Instagram almost every night.
Similarpost
Note
7
tellverbarchaictransitive
To tell about something by making it into a story.
It is storied of the brazen colossus in Rhodes, that it was seventy cubits high.
1648, John Wilkins, Mathematical MagickHere, storied means told as a story.
How worthy he is I will leave to appear hereafter, rather than story him in his own hearing.
1611, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”
Similarnarrate, recount, relate, tell, chronicle
Note
8
soap operanoundatedUScountable
A TV drama that goes on for many episodes, often shown during the day.
Grandma never misses her stories in the afternoon.
Her favorite story comes on right after lunch.
UsageUsually her stories or my stories.
Similarserial
Note
9
greetinginterjectionidiomaticIreland
A friendly greeting used in Dublin, like saying "hi."
Like saying "What's up?" when you meet a friend.
Story, lads? Grab a seat and tell me your news.
She waved across the pub and called out, "Story!"
UsageAnswer with a greeting, not with your news.
Similarhi, hey, hello
Oppositegoodbye, bye
Note
10
noun
Short for user story: a short description of a software feature from the user's point of view.
11
noun
In lettering, one of the levels stacked one above the other in letters such as a and g.
12
nounobsolete
A building, especially a big or grand one.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of story apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–2, 4–8

It came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from Latin 'historia', which came from a Greek word meaning learning through research.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Story came through Middle English and Anglo-Norman from Latin historia. en.wiktionary.org
Latin historia came from a Greek word meaning learning through research. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 9

A short form of "What's the story?", a way of saying hello in Ireland.

Meaning 3

From Middle English and Latin, probably referring to picture stories on medieval buildings. It shares its origin with story and history.