What does retelling mean?
A retelling is the act of telling a story or describing an event again, usually in a fresh version rather than as a word-for-word repetition. The term is especially common in discussions of literature, folklore, history, film, and adaptations. A retelling can simply restate an earlier account, but it often implies that the new version changes the perspective, style, period, or interpretation of the original. For example, a television series may be described as a modern retelling of an ancient legend, while a memoir may include a retelling of a family event. The word is useful because it captures both continuity and transformation: the material being presented remains recognizable, yet it has passed through another narrator or context.
nounThe act of telling a story or recounting an event again, especially in a way that differs from the original account. A retelling may preserve the basic narrative while changing its wording, perspective, or interpretation.
- The act of telling a story or recounting an event again.
- A new version of a story or event, especially one that adapts the original narrative.
"The novel is a modern retelling of an ancient myth."
"His retelling of the journey entertained the whole family."
"The film offers a contemporary retelling of a familiar legend."
Used when referring to multiple rewritten or repeated versions of a story or event.
"The book contains several retellings of the same legend."
Every retelling changes the story slightly, showing how memory and perspective can reshape what we think happened.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of retelling
“Retelling” is formed by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with the present participle telling. Its sense as a noun developed from the verb “retell,” which means to tell again. The underlying root is Old English tellan, related to words such as “tale” and “teller.”
Related word forms
How retelling is actually used
Common in literary, historical, and media contexts. It often suggests that the original story or event is being presented again in a different form or from another perspective.
Easily confused with retelling
“Retelling” is a noun referring to the act or result of telling something again, while “retell” is the verb used to perform that action.
A “tale” is the story itself, whereas a “retelling” is the act of recounting or a newly presented version of that story.