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film

The origin and history of film.

Etymology

From Old English filmen, meaning "thin skin" or "membrane" — the sense of a "coating" came first, and by the late 1800s it extended to the chemical coating on photographic plates, then to movies themselves.

Origin: Old English · First attested 1800

Class of 1800

film first entered the language around 1800. Other words from the same year:

See the full Class of 1800 →
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Etymology: FreeDict original editorial.