# story

Pronunciation: US say "STOR-ee" /ˈstɔ.ɹi/; UK say "STAW-ree" /ˈstɔː.ɹi/

## Noun

1. An account of real or fictional events, including past events, told in spoken or written words.
   - Simple: An account of things that happened or were imagined, told aloud or in writing.
   - _The novel weaves several stories into one sprawling narrative._
   - _Every good story needs a beginning, a middle, and an end._
2. A sequence of events or a situation of the kind that might be related in an account.
   - Simple: The set of events or facts behind a situation, of the kind you might tell about.
   - _There's more to this accident than the police report tells; the full story involves years of neglect._
   - _Photographs from that summer each carry their own story._
3. Any of the levels or floors that make up a building or ship, one above another.
   - Simple: One of the floors or levels of a building or ship.
   - _The fire started on the second story and quickly spread to the roof._
   - _The new office tower rises forty stories above the river._
4. A deliberate falsehood; a lie or invented account presented as truth.
   - Simple: A lie, or something made up that isn't true.
   - _She gave the officer a story about losing her ticket._
   - _Spare me the stories and tell me what really happened._
5. A chronological collection of pictures or short videos that a user publishes on an app or website, typically available only for a short period.
   - Simple: A set of photos or short videos posted on an app that usually vanishes after a day.
   - _She added the concert clips to her story before the night ended._
   - _Brands often use stories to share quick promotions that vanish by morning._

## Verb

6. To post a story, a chronological set of pictures or short videos, on an app or website.
   - Simple: To post photos or short videos as a story on an app.
   - _He stories from the front row of every concert, so his followers see the whole show._
   - _They told everyone to story the announcement for more reach._

## Interjection

9. A casual greeting used in Dublin, shortened from "what's the story?" *(Ireland)*
   - Simple: A friendly greeting used in Dublin, like saying "hi."
   - _Story, Dec? You're looking well these days._
   - _The lads greeted each other with a quick "Story?" outside the chipper._

## Verb

7. To relate or narrate something in the form of a story. *(archaic)*
   - Simple: To tell about something by making it into a story.

## Noun

8. A soap opera, especially a long-running daytime television serial. *(dated, US)*
   - Simple: A TV drama that goes on for many episodes, often shown during the day.
   - _My aunt schedules her whole afternoon around her stories._
   - _My aunt's favorite story has run for decades, and she will not answer the phone while it's on._

## Other meanings

- (noun) Short for user story: in software development, a short description of a feature from the user's point of view, saying who wants it and why.
- (noun) In typography, one of the vertically stacked levels found in certain letters, such as a and g.
- (noun) A building, especially a large or imposing one.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–2, 4–8** — Ancient Greek historia ("learning through research") passed into Latin as historia. Anglo-Norman estorie came from it, and Middle English storie followed. History and storey are doublets.
**Meaning 9** — Shortened from the Irish greeting "What's the story?"
**Meaning 3** — From Middle English story, from Medieval Latin historia ("narrative, picture"), probably after the painted or carved scenes along the upper levels of medieval buildings. It shares its origin with story ("tale") and history.

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