autobiographical

The word 'autobiographical' is a modern english formation built from classical greek components. The prefix 'auto-' derives from the greek 'autos', meaning 'self'. It is combined with 'bio-', from the greek 'bios', signifying 'life' or 'mode of life'. The core '-graph-' originates from the greek verb 'graphein', meaning 'to write' or 'to record'. These elements were assembled into 'autobiography' in the late 18th century to denote a self-written life story, with the adjectival suffix '-ical' later appended to describe works or elements possessing that characteristic. Thus, the term's literal construction as 'self-life-writing' perfectly captures its modern meaning of a narrative concerning the author's own experiences.

Structure: auto (self) + bio (life) + graph (write) + ical (adjective suffix) auto- (greek, meaning 'self'), bio- (greek, meaning 'life'), -graph- (greek, meaning 'to write'), -ical (english, adjective-forming suffix from latin -icalis).