pillarbox

[ pil-er-boks ]

noun

1. a technique for displaying a video recorded in portrait orientation on a wider screen by reducing its size but retaining the aspect ratio, with black bands filling the screen to the right and left of the picture (often used attributively): Compare letterbox ( def 2 ).

   pillarbox format.

verb (used with object)

1. to display (a film or video) by using the pillarbox technique.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pillarbox¹

2000–05; pillar ( def ) + box ¹( def ), perhaps referencing the two black bands (or pillars) used to box in the video content

Example Sentences

And on high-def TVs, watching old shows requires big, black “pillarbox” bars on either side of the square picture.

From Scientific American

You've surely seen it: broadcasters gamely try to fill the empty pillarbox areas with blurry copies of the main video.

From Scientific American

The high waistbands and tissue-layered drapes of their dresses are straight from the classical goddess playbook, but the colours – pillarbox red, sunshine yellow, black – are from a colouring book.

From The Guardian

If you prefer to stash a phone in a pocket rather than a handbag or manbag, this could well be too big.The choice of colours mostly isn't understated, either: the review handset was pillarbox red; other options are a sort of fluorescent custard yellow, or white or the more sober grey or black options.

From The Guardian

With a beating heart she went out to post the letter herself, and as it dropped into the pillarbox, she prayed softly to "God."

From Project Gutenberg