ENGLISH
REFERENCE

scene

n. countable
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈsin// UK //sˈiːn// scene Archaic General-service

n. a short part of a movie, play, or book that happens in one place. You use this word to talk about a specific moment in a story.

n. a discrete segment of a narrative work, typically defined by a continuous action in a single location. Often used as a unit of measurement for scripts or performance schedules.


SIMPLE

The opening scene of the movie is very exciting.

CONTEXTUAL

The director asked the actors to rehearse the final scene one more time before filming began.

COMPLEX

While the screenplay is structurally sound, the transition between the second and third scene feels abrupt, failing to establish the necessary emotional stakes for the protagonist's departure.

Synonyms
Origin

From Late Middle English scene, from Middle French scene, borrowed from Latin sc(a)ena, from Ancient Greek σκηνή (skēnḗ, “scene, stage”). Doublet of scena and skene.

Usage

Commonly used with the preposition 'in' when referring to characters or events within the segment.

Idioms1 entry

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