movie
- 01 C1 Advanced
an event or night out that is very fun and feels like something from a film.
an extremely exciting, impressive, or high-energy experience.
Simple“The party last night was a movie — everyone was dancing and the music was great.”
In context“The whole weekend in Vegas was a movie, filled with unexpected encounters and high-stakes energy that felt entirely surreal.”
- 02 C2 Proficiency
a situation that is very long, complicated, or annoying.
a figurative extension referring to a tiresome, unpleasant, or overly dramatic sequence of events.
Simple“Getting my visa renewed was a whole movie; I had to visit three different offices.”
In context“Dealing with the insurance company after the accident turned into a real movie, involving endless paperwork and conflicting statements from various agents.”
Usage movie star · movie theater · movie theaters
From moving (picture) + -ie. Attested since at least 1912 (if not 1908), originally in American English.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.