personal history

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable or uncountable

   The facts and events of a person's past life, especially as a subject of official or medical interest.

   Grammar: Can be countable (a personal history) or uncountable (personal history). Often used with a possessive: my personal history.

   Patterns

   • someone's personal history
   • a personal history of something
   • ask about someone's personal history

   The doctor asked about her personal history of heart disease.

   His personal history includes several years living abroad.

   The biography gives a detailed personal history of the artist's early life.

2. 2nouncountable

   A written or spoken account of someone's own life.

   Grammar: Countable when it means a particular account: she wrote a personal history.

   Patterns

   • write a personal history
   • publish a personal history
   • a personal history of something

   She wrote a personal history of her family's move to Canada.

   The course encourages students to record a personal history of their education.

Word forms

Common combinations

medical history

The nurse reviewed his medical history before the operation.

family history

There is a family history of diabetes.

a detailed personal history

The report included a detailed personal history of the candidate.

personal history questionnaire

Please complete the personal history questionnaire before your appointment.

Synonyms and how they differ

background

Background refers to a person's education, family, and experience, often in a general way; personal history is more detailed and factual.

biography

A biography is an account of someone's life written by another person; a personal history can be written by the person themselves.

life story

Life story is more informal and often includes feelings and memories; personal history is more neutral and factual.

Word family

history noun

The study of past events, or a record of past events.

historian noun

A person who studies or writes about history.

Commonly confused: personal history or personal life?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “personal history”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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