big-screen

1 of 2

adjective

ˈbig-ˌskrēn 

1

: relating to movies or to the movie industry

She worked on the novel's big-screen adaptation.

Big-screen villains that resemble America's real-world enemies are as old as the movies themselves.

—Vanity Fair

2

: having a large screen

a big-screen television

And in my experience testing big-screen phones …, it really is far more difficult to do anything on them one-handed, including typing.

—John Gruber

big screen

2 of 2

noun

: the movie medium often as contrasted to television

a story adapted for the big screen

Synonyms of big-screen

Noun

• film
• movie
• filmmaking
• silver screen
• pictures

Examples of big-screen in a Sentence

Noun

many actors now take roles for both television and the big screen

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

While the four-part Beatles biopic is underway, another British pop invasion could get the big-screen treatment next. — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026

After big-screen appearances in the likes of The Sand Pebbles (1966) and Kelly’s Heroes (1970), he became known for comedy again when he was cast as Murray Slaughter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2026

Noun

Star Wars’ big screen output slowed in the half-decade after The Rise of Skywalker, with this past summer’s The Mandalorian and Grogu the first Star Wars film since 2019. — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2026

And when Kiffin's image appeared live on a big screen for an interview on ESPN, the first-year LSU coach was booed heartily. — ABC News, 19 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for big-screen

• agin
• alkene
• allene
• ameen
• amin
• arene
• athene
• baleen
• beeline
• benzene
• between
• bromine

Kids Definition

big screen

noun

: the motion-picture medium as contrasted to television