celluloid

noun

cel·​lu·​loid ˈsel-yə-ˌlȯid How to pronounce celluloid (audio)
1
: a tough flammable thermoplastic composed essentially of cellulose nitrate and camphor
2
old-fashioned : motion-picture film
… a work … making its third appearance on celluloid.John McCarten
celluloid adjective

Examples of celluloid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Give me the 24 frames per second of celluloid from my childhood. Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 9 Nov. 2025 The breathless discussion about that photograph felt almost like a yearning for the past, when consensus could be built through celluloid. Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 And there’s a demon that may be emerging from celluloid and Reddit pages to possess people. Neil McRobert, Vulture, 16 Oct. 2025 Photos of a celluloid prison ring with the initial R began to circulate in local newspapers. Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for celluloid

Word History

Etymology

from Celluloid, a trademark

First Known Use

1870, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of celluloid was in 1870

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Celluloid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/celluloid. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

celluloid

noun
cel·​lu·​loid ˈsel-(y)ə-ˌlȯid How to pronounce celluloid (audio)
1
: a tough flammable plastic
2
: a motion-picture film
watch a western on celluloid

More from Merriam-Webster on celluloid

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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