Word
screenplay
Phoneticsscreen·play
US/ˈskɹinˌpɫeɪ/
UK/skɹˈiːnpleɪ/
Definition
n. the written text for a film or television show that tells the actors what to say and do.
n. the written text of a film or television programme, providing dialogue and stage directions for the cast and crew.
Examples
“She wrote a screenplay about a space adventure.”
“The director hired a new writer to polish the screenplay before filming started.”
“The screenplay's tight structure and sharp dialogue earned it critical acclaim, proving that a strong script is the foundation of any successful film.”
Examples
simple
“She wrote a screenplay about a space adventure.”
contextual
“The director hired a new writer to polish the screenplay before filming started.”
complex
“The screenplay's tight structure and sharp dialogue earned it critical acclaim, proving that a strong script is the foundation of any successful film.”
Real-World Examples
“In her latest film, adapted from the final screenplay by Italian film-maker Bernardo Bertolucci, Sarandon plays an ageing singer who hires a music producer recovering from drug addiction to work on a comeback album.” Etymology
From screen + play.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/screenplay