commentary

[ kom-uh n-ter-ee ]
/ ˈkɒm ənˌtɛr i /

noun, plural com·men·tar·ies.

a series of comments, explanations, or annotations: a commentary on the Bible; news followed by a commentary.
an explanatory essay or treatise: a commentary on a play; Blackstone's commentaries on law.
anything serving to illustrate a point, prompt a realization, or exemplify, especially in the case of something unfortunate: The dropout rate is a sad commentary on our school system.
Usually commentaries. records of facts or events: Commentaries written by Roman lawyers give us information on how their courts functioned.

Origin of commentary

1375–1425; late Middle English commentaries (plural) < Latin commentārium notebook, noun use of neuter of commentārius, equivalent to comment(um) comment + -ārius -ary

OTHER WORDS FROM commentary

com·men·tar·i·al [kom-uh n-tair-ee-uh l] /ˌkɒm ənˈtɛər i əl/, adjective su·per·com·men·tar·y, noun, plural su·per·com·men·tar·ies.

Example sentences from the Web for commentary

British Dictionary definitions for commentary

commentary
/ (ˈkɒməntərɪ, -trɪ) /

noun plural -taries

an explanatory series of notes or comments
a spoken accompaniment to a broadcast, film, etc, esp of a sporting event
an explanatory essay or treatise on a text
(usually plural) a personal record of events or facts the commentaries of Caesar

Derived forms of commentary

commentarial (ˌkɒmənˈtɛərɪəl), adjective