Definition of a slice of life. : an example of what ordinary life is like : something (such as a story or movie) that shows what ordinary life is like The story is/shows/presents a slice of life in a small Midwestern town.

slice of life. A realistic portrayal of people or events typical of everyday life. The term originated as a translation of the French tranche de la vie, applied to French naturalist writings in the late 1800s. It was quickly taken into English and applied to plays, paintings, and other artistic works.

Define slice of life. slice of life synonyms, slice of life pronunciation, slice of life translation, English dictionary definition of slice of life. n. pl. slices of life An episode of actual experience represented realistically and with little alteration in a dramatic, fictional, or journalistic work....

slice′-of-life′. adj. of or pertaining to a naturalistic, unembellished representation of real life: a play with slice-of-life dialogue. [1890–95; attributive use of slice of life, translation of French tranche de vie, allegedly coined by dramatist Jean Jullien (1854–1919)] Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by …