fade-in

[ feyd-in ]

noun

1. Movies, Television. a gradual increase in the visibility of a scene.
2. Broadcasting, Recording. a gradual increase in the volume of sound, especially of recorded or broadcast music, dialogue, or the like, usually starting from complete inaudibility.

fade-in

noun

1. films an optical effect in which a shot appears gradually out of darkness
2. a gradual increase in the volume in a radio or television broadcast

verb

1. Alsofade up to increase or cause to increase gradually, as vision or sound in a film or broadcast

Word History and Origins

Origin of fade-in¹

First recorded in 1915–20; noun use of verb phrase fade in

Example Sentences

Before that, you wait: an eerie hum, a corona of light amid the clouds, the slow fade-in of the late Laura Palmer’s portrait, a view of trees.

From New York Times

After the telltale HBO static intro stamp, and the fuzzy fade-in of Dave Navarro’s guitar, hold down fast-forward on your remote control, blur past the scenes of the show’s gaggle of bromantic buddies — E, Drama, Turtle and the star around which they all orbit, Vinny Chase — cruising the Sunset Strip, drinking in billboards emblazoned with their own names.

From Salon

“Livin’ on a Prayer” is a weird hit, extremely well crafted and immediately memorable from its open fade-in and what sounds like a gargantuan mouth shaping nonsense syllables into a chugging rhythm: Ooh wah ooh wah oo oo ooh wah.

From Salon

The Pink Lotus Breast Center where Angelina Jolie was treated showcased her “Brave Mastectomy Decision” on their website, with a fade-in image of celebrity Sheryl Crow, who, unlike Jolie, was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer.

From Scientific American

Crazy Horse eventually appears out of nowhere, in a slow fade-in, and their introduction to the album feels like a flashback.

From Time