comic strip

noun

1. a sequence of drawings, either in color or black and white, relating a comic incident, an adventure or mystery story, etc., often serialized, typically having dialogue printed in balloons, and usually printed as a horizontal strip in daily newspapers and in an uninterrupted block or longer sequence of such strips in Sunday newspapers and in comic books.

comic strip

noun

1. Also called: strip cartoon. a sequence of drawings in a newspaper, magazine, etc, relating a humorous story or an adventure

Word History and Origins

Origin of comic strip¹

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

Example Sentences

Unlike daily comic strips, political cartoons were intended to stay with the reader long after they’d turned the page, becoming a source of conversation and introspection that could take place throughout the day.

From Salon

In 1981, he launched Salt and Pepper, a comic strip that ran for nearly two decades, blending gentle satire with everyday observations.

From BBC

“You’ve been my dancer for 43 years,” Feiffer told her, “so this is hard for me. In four weeks, I give up this comic strip.”

From Los Angeles Times

He entered the cramped hotel room wearing a camo hat, hiking shoes and a “Spy vs. Spy” comic strip T-shirt.

From Salon

The program turned “Peanuts” from a popular comic strip into a multimedia empire — not because it was flashy or followed the rules, but because it was sincere.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• cartoon 
• comic