commentary
noun
com·men·tary
ˈkä-mən-ˌter-ē
-ˌte-rē
plural commentaries
1
a
: an explanatory treatise
—usually plural
Blackstone's Commentaries on the Laws of England
b
: a record of events usually written by a participant
—usually plural
Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War
2
a
: a systematic series of explanations or interpretations (as of a writing)
a commentary on Dante's Divine Comedy
b
3
a
: something that serves for illustration or explanation
The dark, airless apartments and sunless factories … are a sad commentary upon our civilization.—H. A. Overstreet
b
: an expression of opinion
The magazine article is a commentary on cyberbullying.
Cite this Entry
“Commentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commentary. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.
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