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• high key
  high key

  noun

  a style of lighting that is bright, even, and produces little contrast between light and dark areas of the scene.
• high-key
  high-key

  adjective

  (of a photograph) having chiefly light tones, usually with little tonal contrast (distinguished from low-key).

high key

¹ American  

noun

Movies.

1. a style of lighting that is bright, even, and produces little contrast between light and dark areas of the scene.

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high-key ² American  

[hahy-kee] / ˈhaɪˈki /

adjective

1. (of a photograph) having chiefly light tones, usually with little tonal contrast (distinguished from low-key).

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high-key British  

adjective

1. (of a photograph, painting, etc) having a predominance of light grey tones or light colours Compare low-key

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Usage

What else does high-key mean? In slang, high-key is the opposite of the more commonplace low-key, or "secretive" or "restrained." So something high-key is "intense" and "out in the open." It's often used as an adverb for "very," "really," or "clearly."

Etymology

Origin of high key¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Origin of high-key²

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

The finished film premiered Saturday, and the first responses are just as high key, particularly when it comes to Joaquin Phoenix’s performance as the Joker.

From Slate • Aug. 31, 2019

But Han said the outcome showed that, tweets aside, Washington and Beijing wanted a peaceful resolution: “The U.S. turn from high key to low key helped in solving the problem smoothly.”

From Washington Post • Dec. 20, 2016

When it started again, it was out of tune and after the performance, Pharrell apologized to the crowd for playing in a high key.

From US News • Feb. 8, 2015

Pictures of taxidermied animals, maybe with a high key voice-over.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2014

One was my Jonathan’s, raised in a high key of passion; the other Mr. Morris’ strong resolute tone of quiet command.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker