commentary

From Middle French commentaire, from Latin commentārius, commentārium (“notebook”), compare French commentaire. See comment.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈkɒm.ən.tə.ɹi/, /ˈkɒm.ən.tɹi/

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑ.mənˌtɛɹ.i/

commentary (countable and uncountable, plural commentaries)

1. A series of comments or annotations; especially, a book of explanations or expositions on the whole or a part of some other work.
   • 1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:

     This letter […] was published by him with a severe commentary.

2. (usually in the plural) A brief account of transactions or events written hastily, as if for a memorandum.

   Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War

3. An oral relation of an event, especially broadcast by television or radio, as it occurs.

   We listened to the football commentary while watching the match.

• (series of comments or annotations): scholia (ancient & medieval European works); secondary source

• “commentary”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.