noun
screenplay
SKREEN-play
noun
1
The written text of a film or TV show, including dialogue, scenes, and action descriptions.
"The director asked for three rewrites of the screenplay before filming began."
"She spent two years writing a screenplay based on her grandmother's life."
verb
1
To write a screenplay for a film or show.
"He was hired to screenplay the sequel."
How to Use Screenplay
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe full written blueprint for a movie or TV episode — dialogue, scene descriptions, and stage directions.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "script" generally — a screenplay specifically refers to film/TV writing, while "script" can also mean a stage play or even computer code.
Common pairings
write a screenplay
adapt a screenplay
original screenplay
Word Forms
screenplayed past tense, screenplays plural, screenplays singular
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The director asked for three rewrites of the _____ before filming began.
Etymology
A straightforward blend of "screen" (the cinema screen) and "play" (a dramatic script), coined once movies needed their own term distinct from stage plays.