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

Noun

• cinema
• film
• filmdom
• filmland
• filmmaking
• movie
• moviemaking
• pictures
• screen
• silver screen

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 singer-songwriter spoke to Jessica Shaw for the SAG-AFTRA Foundation about the record-breaking big-screen adaptation of the musical. —Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Dec. 2024

As such, some RT critics are not only ripping on Kraven the Hunter but oddly lamenting what could have possibly happened had the character had a chance at any more big-screen adventures. —Tim Lammers, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024

Noun

Half-watching a big screen while scrolling social media on a smaller screen. —Julia MacCary, Variety, 7 Dec. 2024

But Barton points to a theme in Knightley’s movie career where her big screen characters have two sides to them: a public persona and private wants, with the heart yearning for one thing and having to settle for another. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

big screen

noun

: the motion-picture medium as contrasted to television