Documentarian

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌdɒk.jʊ.mənˈtɛəɹi.ən/

Definitions

1. A professional dedicated to the production of films or programs that provide a factual account of real-life events or stories
2. An individual whose focus lies in documenting actual occurrences through various forms of visual storytelling and media presentation
3. A specialist who creates films or shows that capture and portray true events and narratives in a factual manner

Etymology: "Documentarian" is a noun formed by adding the suffix "-an" to "documentary," itself an adjective that became a noun. The two-step build is what makes it unusual: "documentary" comes from "document," and "-ary" in turn comes from Latin "-arius," meaning relating to or belonging to, so the word stacks two suffixes on the same stem. Adding "-an" to "documentary" yields a person who works in documentary film, the same pattern that gives "librarian" or "historian" a sense of profession. The word's documentary root goes back to Latin "documentum," meaning a lesson or proof, from "docere," to teach. That sense of teaching by evidence explains why a film made to record real events could be called documentary in the first place. The form "documentarian" was built later, once the film genre itself had a name and enough practitioners existed to need a word for them.

Synonyms: filmmaker, documentary maker