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Definition of matinee

matinee

/ˈmætɪneɪ/
mat · i · nee
Plural:matinees
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matinee Lexical Profile

matinee Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An afternoon performance of a play, film, concert, or other entertainment.

Example

"We decided to catch a matinee of the new play since the evening tickets were entirely sold out."

Antonyms
View all antonyms for matinee

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite originating from the French word for 'morning', in English usage, 'matinee' almost exclusively refers to a performance or screening held in the afternoon.

• Nearby Words

mathlete
matilda
matilija poppy
matinee
matisia
matoa
matriarch

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed from French 'matinée' (morning, or morning performance), from 'matin' (morning), which stems from Latin 'matutinus' (of the morning). Over time, the English meaning shifted from daytime performances generally to specifically afternoon ones.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Matinee. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/matinee
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