COMMENTARY

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does commentary mean? 

• COMMENTARY (noun)
  The noun COMMENTARY has 1 sense:

1. a written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material

  Familiarity information: COMMENTARY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• COMMENTARY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A written explanation or criticism or illustration that is added to a book or other textual material

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

comment; commentary

Context example:

he wrote an extended comment on the proposal

Hypernyms ("commentary" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "commentary"):

Midrash ((Judaism) an ancient commentary on part of the Hebrew scriptures that is based on Jewish methods of interpretation and attached to the biblical text)

annotation; notation; note (a comment or instruction (usually added))

Derivation:

comment (make or write a comment on)

commentate (make a commentary on)

 Context examples 

At that I gave up all attempts at commentary and read straight on.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

The collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such media as pamphlets, newsletters, newspapers, magazines, radio, motion pictures, television, and books.

(Journalism, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

"Your answer requires a commentary," he said; "it is not clear."

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Mr. Wickfield said not one word, though the old lady looked to him as if for his commentary on this intelligence; but sat severely silent, with his eyes fixed on the ground.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

He had finished his professional commentary by flinging open a folding door, and ushering the party into a broad hall, which was filled with a great number of people who were waiting, like themselves, for an audience.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

B220+ CD19+ CD43+ CD43- Ly6d (ThB)+ Tdt+; Molecular: Clonal precursor B cell, IgH G/R, IgK G/G; Characteristic: High grade; Presumed cell of origin: Bone marrow precursor B-cell lymphoblast; Differential diagnosis: Histologically and cytologically indistinguishable from most pre-T lymphoblastic lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, and Burkitt-like lymphoma, but CD3- sIg- TdT+; Human counterpart and commentary.

(Mouse Precursor B Cell Lymphoblastic Lymphoma and Leukemia, NCI Thesaurus/MMHCC)

Contents include: Peer-reviewed reports on major oncology studies from around the world; Editorials and commentary by leading experts on key articles and current controversies in cancer; The latest news from the oncology community, book reviews, and conference and position announcements.

(Journal of the National Cancer Institute, NCI Thesaurus)

“Ain't I volatile?” she added, as a commentary on this offer, and, with her finger on her nose, departed.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)