# genre

/ˈʒɑnɹə/ (US) · /ʒˈɒnɹɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/genre
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. artistic category

noun · CEFR B2

a particular type or style of literature, art, or music.

For teachers: a stylistic category or sort, especially of literature, film, or other artworks, defined by shared conventions.

- My favourite film genre is science fiction because I love stories about the future.
- The novel successfully blends elements of the gothic horror genre with modern psychological suspense, creating a unique reading experience.

### 2. to categorise

verb · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

to put something into a specific category or style.

For teachers: to assign a work to a specific genre or to make a piece of media conform to genre-specific conventions.

- Critics often genre his work as 'urban fantasy' even though he disagrees.
- The studio attempted to genre the script as a romantic comedy, despite its darker underlying themes of social isolation.

Usage: often used in passive constructions or academic criticism.

## Examples

- Science fiction is my favorite movie genre.
- The bookstore organizes its shelves by genre to help customers find their favorite types of stories quickly.
- The director's latest film successfully blends elements of the western genre with psychological thriller tropes, creating a unique cinematic experience that defies easy classification.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.