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Definition of screenplay

screenplay

/ˈskriːn.pleɪ/
screen · play
Plural:screenplays
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screenplay Lexical Profile

screenplay Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

The written text of a film or television program, including the dialogue spoken by characters as well as scene descriptions and camera directions.

Example

"The director spent two years adapting the bestselling historical novel into a compelling screenplay."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for screenplay

• Nearby Words

screener
screenful
screening
screenplay
screenprint
screenprinting
screensaver

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the early 20th century as a compound of 'screen' (referring to the motion-picture projection surface) and 'play', modeled after 'stage play'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

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