Documentary (n.) a nonfiction film or television program intended to document reality for the purposes of instruction, education, or maintaining a record. It presents factual material with analysis or commentary, and aims to inform or persuade viewers about real events, people, or issues. It is typically longer than a news report and often employs narration, interviews, and archival footage.
"The documentary explored the impact of plastic pollution on coastal communities."
"She watched a documentary about ancient civilizations to supplement her course."
"The documentary won several awards for its insightful storytelling."
"During the festival, a lineup of documentaries addressed climate change and social justice."
Documentary derives from the French word documentaire, from late Latin documentarium, from documento (to teach, to prove, to demonstrate). The root is document-, meaning evidence or teaching material, with the Latin suffix -ary indicating belonging to or connected with. The term entered English in the early 19th century, originally to describe works that recorded or provided documentary evidence; by the mid-20th century it had become the standard label for non-fiction motion pictures intended to document reality. The evolution reflects cinema’s move from purely entertainment to didactic and informational forms, with documentary becoming a recognized genre characterized by assertion of fact, source material, and selective editing to shape perception. First known uses appear in film criticism and cataloging notes from early documentary filmmakers and scholars who sought to distinguish factual cinema from fiction. The concept expanded with educational and governmental documentary projects, the rise of documentary television, and the broader cultural emphasis on transparency and evidentiary filmmaking in journalism and history.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Documentary" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Documentary"
-ary sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Say do-cu-MEN-ta-ry, with primary stress on MEN. IPA: US /ˌdɑː.kjəˈmen.tə.ɹi/, UK /ˌdɒ.kjəˈmen.tə.ri/, AU /ˌdɒk.jəˈmen.tə.ɹi/. Start with a clear /d/ + /ɒ/ or /ɑː/ vowel, then /kj/ cluster as in 'cue.' The stressed syllable is the third from the start, and you finish with a light /ɹi/ or /ri/ depending on accent. Picture the rhythm as do-cu-MEN-ta-ry; avoid tensing the onset of the suffix. Audio reference: listen to reputable pronunciation dictionaries or channel transcripts to hear the vowel length and syllable emphasis.
Two common errors: 1) Stress misplacement—placing main stress too early (do-CU-men-ta-ry) instead of on MEN. 2) Vowel quality in the first and second syllables—pronouncing /ˈdɒk/ as a short /ɒ/ without the subtle length, or blending /kjə/ incorrectly as /kjuː/ in some dialects. Correction: segment as doc-u-MEN-ta-ry; keep /kj/ as a consonant cluster after /o/ or /ɒ/; ensure the /ˈmen/ carries the strongest emphasis. Practice with a slow tempo, then speed up while maintaining syllable integrity.
US tends to pronouce /dɑː.kjəˈmen.tə.ɹi/ with rhotic /ɹ/ at the end and a longer /ɑː/ in the first vowel; UK often uses /dɒ.kjəˈmen.tə.ri/ with non-rhotic /r/ and slightly shorter final /iː/; Australian typically /ˌdɒk.jəˈmen.tə.ɹi/ with a clear /ɹ/ at the end and vowel reductions in unstressed syllables. Focus on whether you pronounce the final r (US) or drop it (UK), and how the central vowels shift in reduced forms.
The difficulty lies in combining a stressed mid syllable with a consonant cluster (/dɒk/ + /kjə/), plus maintaining even, short vowels in the latter syllables under rhythm pressure. The /kjə/ sequence is tricky because it blends a hard 'k' with a mellow /j/ onset, and the unstressed -ary often reduces to /ri/ or /əri/. Practice slow, then accelerate while preserving the /kj/ blend and the main stress on MEN.
Does the final -ary suffix impact syllable count or is it considered an unstressed ending in rapid speech? In careful speech, you pronounce the three final syllables -ta-ry with a clear /ti/ and /ri/; in fast speech, you may reduce to -təri or even -tɹi, depending on accent. The main stress remains on MEN, but the suffix can influence vowel length and the perceived rhythm of the word.
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