Word
noir
/ˈnɔɪɹ/
Definitions
01film or fiction genre
n. a type of movie or book that shows a dark, cynical world, usually involving crime and detectives.
n. a genre of cinematic or literary fiction characterized by fatalism, moral ambiguity, and low-key lighting.
“The director is famous for his modern noir films set in Los Angeles.”
“The festival featured a retrospective of classic 1940s noir, highlighting the genre's obsession with the femme fatale and urban decay.”
Technical
Synonyms
02having a dark style
adj. describing something that has the dark, moody, or mysterious feeling of a crime movie.
adj. relating to or suggestive of film noir, particularly in its atmospheric or thematic darkness.
“The novel has a very noir atmosphere, with rain-soaked streets and a lonely hero.”
“The cinematographer employed high-contrast lighting to achieve a noir aesthetic that mirrored the protagonist's internal conflict.”
Technical
Real-World Examples
“Red Riding was compared to James Ellroy and described as Yorkshire noir, which is spot-on, although David said it was a pity they used a French word.” Etymology
Shortened from film noir, and from French noir. Doublet of negro.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/noir