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

The Sony 75-inch Bravia 3 sets a high standard for big-screen display value, combining Triluminos Pro color processing with intuitive Google TV smart streaming. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

While most of the streamers’ submissions opt for the minimum qualifying run, occasionally platforms like Netflix will offer longer releases for movie fans who prefer the big-screen experience. — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Noun

Everyone from Brian Fuller to LeBron James has flirted with the property over the past decade, but its big screen future continues to be murky. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026

His legacy will also soon be revisited in an upcoming big screen biopic with Tom Holland, who will star as the dance icon. — Michelle Duncan, Architectural Digest, 5 Aug. 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