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noun

celluloid

SEHL-yuh-loyd

Celluloid (noun) means an early type of flexible plastic once used to make photographic and movie film. Example: “The archive holds reels of fragile old celluloid film.”

noun
1
An early type of flexible plastic once used to make photographic and movie film.
"The archive holds reels of fragile old celluloid film."
2
Cinema or film as an art form (used figuratively).
"The novel was eventually brought to celluloid decades later."

How to use celluloid

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe old plastic material movie film used to be made of — often used to mean "the movies" in general.

Common pairings
celluloid film the celluloid era immortalized on celluloid

Word forms

celluloids plural

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The archive holds reels of fragile old _____ film.

Etymology

Originally a trademark of the Celluloid Manufacturing Company; formed from cellulose plus "-oid," meaning "resembling."

Related words

Rhymes for celluloid

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Frequently asked questions

What does “celluloid” mean?

The word “celluloid” means an early type of flexible plastic once used to make photographic and movie film. In plain terms, the old plastic material movie film used to be made of — often used to mean "the movies" in general.

How do you pronounce “celluloid”?

“Celluloid” is pronounced SEHL-yuh-loyd (/ˈsɛljəˌlɔɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “celluloid” in a sentence?

Here is “celluloid” used in a sentence: “The archive holds reels of fragile old celluloid film.”

What part of speech is “celluloid”?

“Celluloid” is a noun.

How many meanings does “celluloid” have?

“Celluloid” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an early type of flexible plastic once used to make photographic and movie film.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial