English Reference
Noun

talkie

n. countable
C2 Proficiency US /ˈtɔki/ UK /tˈɔːki/ talkie Film Music

n.an old-fashioned word for a movie that has sound and music. It was used when movies first started using voices and music instead of just pictures.

n.a motion picture featuring synchronized sound, specifically during the transition period from silent films to sound films.


SIMPLE

My grandfather used to take me to see a talkie at the local cinema.

CONTEXTUAL

The transition from silent film to the talkie was one of the most significant shifts in the history of cinema.

COMPLEX

While the silent era relied on visual storytelling and intertitles, the arrival of the talkie fundamentally altered the industry's approach to narrative and character development.


Clipping of talking picture, via + -ie, and thus morphologically parallel with movie.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level C2 · Proficiency
Frequency Occasional
Updated