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).
"Celluloid railway comedy was hardly to appear again until the mid-thirties and, later, in Britain."
— David Gunston, Railways on the Screen (1958)
"The novel was eventually brought to celluloid decades later."
How to use celluloid
Learner’s notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- celluloids
Fill the gap
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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."
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for celluloid
See all rhymes for celluloid →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.
