overstory
- noun
- /ˈoʊvərˌstɔri/
- Literature
:
metanarrativa
- The novel's overstory weaves together the lives of several unrelated characters.
- Overstory by Richard Powers
Examples
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The novel's overstory weaves together multiple characters' lives.
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Without a strong overstory, the film's individual scenes felt disconnected.
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The teacher explained how the overstory helps students understand the main message of the book.
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Each chapter contributes to the larger overstory of the series.
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In Richard Powers' novel, the overstory weaves together the interconnected lives of people and nature, illustrating a deeper message about environmentalism.
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The overstory of the film explores themes of love and loss through a series of interconnected vignettes.
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As the documentary unfolded, its overstory highlighted the struggles of communities affected by climate change and the resilience they show.
Synonyms
336
3.9
A story that describes connected events
58
3.7
A view of the whole situation and its most important facts rather than small details
A big story or idea that explains many smaller events
How Overarching
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Overstory comes from over- meaning 'above' and story meaning 'tale' or 'main idea', like a big story above smaller ones. So an overstory is a main or 'above' story that connects and gives meaning to smaller stories or events.