plural films
often attributive
1
a
: a thin skin or membranous covering : pellicle
b
: an abnormal growth on or in the eye
2
: a thin covering or coating
a film of ice
3
a
: an exceedingly thin layer : lamina
b(1)
: a thin flexible transparent sheet (as of plastic) used especially as a wrapping
(2)
: a thin sheet of cellulose acetate or nitrocellulose coated with a radiation-sensitive emulsion for taking photographs
4
a
: movie, motion picture
an award-winning film
film critics
The film will start in ten minutes.
b
: the process, art, or business of making movies
a career in film
She studied film in college.
filmed; filming; films
1
: to cover with or as if with a film
2
: to make a motion picture of or from
film a scene
1
: to become covered or obscured with or as if with a film
2
: to make a motion picture
Synonyms
Examples of film in a Sentence
Noun
Have you bought any film for the camera?
We haven't had the film developed yet.
He's interested in making films about war.
We'll start the film at 10:00.
He studied film in college.
the protective film over a shark's eye
A film of ice covered the sidewalk.
Verb
Television news crew members came to film the interview.
She filmed the children playing.
Recent Examples on the Web
Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2024
The film’s premise is that climate changed has metastasized, to the point that none of the earth’s population has enough food, water, or resources.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
In his dark and brilliant film, Dirk Bogarde plays Hugo Barret, the gentleman’s gentleman to Tony, the dissolute aristo portrayed by James Fox.
—David Coggins, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
Some of her early roles included appearing on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit and starring as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
Her first screen role was as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 Apr. 2024
An interesting and fun fact that Drew shared with us is that Cora Bella’s mother is also in the film playing TJ’s sister.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2024
Annie Clark’s latest follows Daddy’s Home, her 2021 LP, which took cues from Prince, funk posturing, and even John Cassavetes films.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2024
Though the film is fictionalized, its overarching circumstances—the treacherous nature of twisters and the difficulty of predicting their arrival—ring true.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Sam Anderson, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
At the time, almost every comedy on air was filmed live in front of a studio audience—or at least pretended to be.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
The two married in August 2018 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in D.C. in an extravagant wedding that was filmed for the show.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
But also, this is the must public public display of affection possible, and everyone's filming everything at Coachella anyway.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
The concert special was filmed during Joel's record-breaking 100th consecutive performance at Madison Square Garden on March 28.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2024
He and the other actors were filmed for animators, who then would create cartoon characters out of them in a process called Rotoscoping, similar to motion capture today.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Apr. 2024
The original concerts, featuring Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, took place over two consecutive nights in November 1981, and were arranged specifically to be filmed for a full-length concert film to document their live show.
—Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 14 Apr. 2024
Video filmed by a CNN stringer shows the once-perilous coastal road of Al Rasheed filled with families walking with their belongings, some riding bicycles, donkey carts and pick-up trucks, smiling and snapping photographs.
—Mohammad Al-Sawalhi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
Noun
The adoption of color film had much to do with the sartorial showcase offered by these pictures—that, and the fashion prowess of costume designers like Edith Head, William Travilla, and Orry-Kelly.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 27 Apr. 2024
The film’s premise is that climate changed has metastasized, to the point that none of the earth’s population has enough food, water, or resources.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 27 Apr. 2024
In his dark and brilliant film, Dirk Bogarde plays Hugo Barret, the gentleman’s gentleman to Tony, the dissolute aristo portrayed by James Fox.
—David Coggins, Robb Report, 27 Apr. 2024
Some of her early roles included appearing on Broadway in the 1958 production of The Visit and starring as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
—Ingrid Vasquez, Peoplemag, 27 Apr. 2024
Her first screen role was as June in the 1961 feature film Splendor in the Grass.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 27 Apr. 2024
An interesting and fun fact that Drew shared with us is that Cora Bella’s mother is also in the film playing TJ’s sister.
—Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2024
Annie Clark’s latest follows Daddy’s Home, her 2021 LP, which took cues from Prince, funk posturing, and even John Cassavetes films.
—Madison Bloom, Pitchfork, 26 Apr. 2024
Though the film is fictionalized, its overarching circumstances—the treacherous nature of twisters and the difficulty of predicting their arrival—ring true.
—Catherine Duncan, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 Apr. 2024
Verb
It was filmed in Seattle in 1991, as the city’s scruffy rock bands drifted, improbably, toward global superfame.
—Sam Anderson, New York Times, 16 Apr. 2024
At the time, almost every comedy on air was filmed live in front of a studio audience—or at least pretended to be.
—Jacob Stern, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2024
The two married in August 2018 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in D.C. in an extravagant wedding that was filmed for the show.
—Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024
But also, this is the must public public display of affection possible, and everyone's filming everything at Coachella anyway.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 15 Apr. 2024
The concert special was filmed during Joel's record-breaking 100th consecutive performance at Madison Square Garden on March 28.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 15 Apr. 2024
He and the other actors were filmed for animators, who then would create cartoon characters out of them in a process called Rotoscoping, similar to motion capture today.
—Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Apr. 2024
The original concerts, featuring Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, took place over two consecutive nights in November 1981, and were arranged specifically to be filmed for a full-length concert film to document their live show.
—Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 14 Apr. 2024
Video filmed by a CNN stringer shows the once-perilous coastal road of Al Rasheed filled with families walking with their belongings, some riding bicycles, donkey carts and pick-up trucks, smiling and snapping photographs.
—Mohammad Al-Sawalhi, CNN, 14 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'film.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near film
Cite this Entry
“Film.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/film. Accessed 30 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
film
1 of 2 noun1
: a thin skin or membrane
2
: a thin coating or layer
3
: a roll or strip of thin flexible transparent material coated with a chemical substance sensitive to light and used in taking pictures
4
film
2 of 2 verb1
: to cover or become covered with film
2
: to make a motion picture of or from
Medical Definition
film
noun1
a
: a thin skin or membranous covering : pellicle
b
: an abnormal growth on or in the eye
2
a
: an exceedingly thin layer : lamina
b
: a thin flexible transparent sheet of cellulose acetate or cellulose nitrate coated with a radiation-sensitive emulsion for taking photographs or making radiographs
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