celluloid

[ sel-yuh-loid ]

noun

1. a tough, highly flammable substance consisting essentially of nitrocellulose and camphor: once used in the manufacture of motion-picture and x-ray film, it is now used in a limited line of other products, including guitar picks, musical instruments, and table tennis balls.
2. motion-picture film:

   He was an intense director and a scrupulous editor, famous for leaving piles of celluloid on the cutting-room floor.

adjective

1. Informal. of or involving motion pictures:

   a star of the stage who was never lured into the celluloid industry.

celluloid

/ ˈsɛljʊˌlɔɪd /

noun

1. a flammable thermoplastic material consisting of cellulose nitrate mixed with a plasticizer, usually camphor: used in sheets, rods, and tubes for making a wide range of articles
2. 1. a cellulose derivative used for coating film
   2. one of the transparent sheets on which the constituent drawings of an animated film are prepared
   3. a transparent sheet used as an overlay in artwork
   4. cinema film

Word History and Origins

Origin of celluloid¹

First recorded in 1870–75; cellul(ose) + -oid; formerly a trademark

Example Sentences

At the heart of celluloid, however, was the natural substance cellulose.

From Science News

Creative Cauldron’s producing director Laura Connors Hull brought them the obscure yet charming book that surprisingly had never before been reworked for stage or celluloid, and the pair got to work last spring.

From Washington Blade

People surviving or dying in ways at once shudderingly alien and hauntingly familiar, if only on celluloid.

From Washington Post

Robinson’s film work was just one part of his meteoric career, and his choices were limited by industry practices of the times, but the problematic celluloid images stuck.

From Washington Post

In the most crowd-pleasing section of the exhibition—dubbed Stage and Screen—hang his pictures of celluloid legends.

From The Daily Beast

“Everyone could see their love right there on celluloid,” added their son, Stephen Bogart.

From The Daily Beast

Of course, a great literary work does not a great film make—if it did, Shakespeare would need merely to be slathered on celluloid.

From The Daily Beast

On celluloid, similar fates have been met—sometimes even worse.

From The Daily Beast

In her hands, celluloid comes off as a medium that allows for old-fashioned rumination, with some of the slowness of oil paint.

From The Daily Beast

Real celluloid ivory combs, fit for the President's wife, sure enough.

From Project Gutenberg

No high gloss to look like Celluloid or Paper Collars, but a nice medium finish that has all the appearance of new work.

From Project Gutenberg

The front of the box is provided with a handle and a celluloid label for the name of the contained medium.

From Project Gutenberg

Then he sat down and pulled out his mothers celluloid memorandum tablets.

From Project Gutenberg

Just behind the nervous young man with the celluloid collar sat a stout individual with a bald head.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• cinema
• feature
• film
• flick
• motion picture
• picture
• show
• videotape