What Does Film Noir Mean?

Term » DefinitionWord in DefinitionTranslations #ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Random New Words Term Word in Definition Translations

Vocabulary

What does film noir mean?

Definitions for film noirfilm noir

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word film noir.

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. film noirnoun

   a movie that is marked by a mood of pessimism, fatalism, menace, and cynical characters

   "film noir was applied by French critics to describe American thriller or detective films in the 1940s"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. film noirnoun

   A film characterized by low-key lighting, a bleak urban setting, and corrupt, cynical or desperate characters.

2. Etymology: "black film"

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. film noir

   Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. It is a French term that literally translates to "black film" or "dark film." The genre typically features dark, moody visuals, and narratives revolving around murder, deceit, crime, and moral ambiguity. This style of filmmaking originated in the 1940s and 1950s.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Film noir

   Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classical film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style that has roots in German Expressionist cinematography. Many of the prototypical stories and much of the attitude of classic noir derive from the hardboiled school of crime fiction that emerged in the United States during the Great Depression. The term film noir, French for "black film," first applied to Hollywood films by French critic Nino Frank in 1946, was unrecognized by most American film industry professionals of that era. Cinema historians and critics defined the category retrospectively. Before the notion was widely adopted in the 1970s, many of the classic films noirs were referred to as melodramas. Whether film noir qualifies as a distinct genre is a matter of opinion. Film noir encompasses a range of plots: the central figure may be a private eye, a plainclothes policeman, an aging boxer, a hapless grifter, a law-abiding citizen lured into a life of crime, or simply a victim of circumstance. Although film noir was originally associated with American productions, films now so described have been made around the world. Many pictures released from the 1960s onward share attributes with film noir of the classical period, and often treat its conventions self-referentially. Some refer to such latter-day works as neo-noir. The clichés of film noir have inspired parody since the mid-1940s.

Matched Categories

1. • Movie

How to pronounce film noir?

1. AlexUS EnglishDavidUS EnglishMarkUS EnglishDanielBritishLibbyBritishMiaBritishKarenAustralianHayleyAustralianNatashaAustralianVeenaIndianPriyaIndianNeerjaIndianZiraUS EnglishOliverBritishWendyBritishFredUS EnglishTessaSouth African

How to say film noir in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of film noir in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of film noir in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of film noir in a Sentence

1. Joseph Strickland:

   I tend to be drawn to the thriller genre and all of its subgenres, including film noir, suspense, and psychological. I am attracted to the duplexity of the seemingly normal appearances that most people put on for public display as a front, all the while shielding a darker embodiment behind the false masks.

2. Joseph Strickland:

   Growing up, I was able to watch a lot of classic movies ranging from the 1930's film noir masterpieces to old monster movies. I loved everything from the Golden Age of Hollywood era.

more sentences »

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNethttp://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=film noir
2. ^ Wiktionaryhttps://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Film_Noir
3. ^ ChatGPThttps://chat.openai.com
4. ^ Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=film noir

Translations for film noir

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

• film noirFrench
• фильм-нуарRussian
• film noirSwedish

Get even more translations for film noir »

Translation

Find a translation for the film noir definition in other languages:

Select another language:

• - Select -
• 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
• 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
• Español (Spanish)
• Esperanto (Esperanto)
• 日本語 (Japanese)
• Português (Portuguese)
• Deutsch (German)
• العربية (Arabic)
• Français (French)
• Русский (Russian)
• ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
• 한국어 (Korean)
• עברית (Hebrew)
• Gaeilge (Irish)
• Українська (Ukrainian)
• اردو (Urdu)
• Magyar (Hungarian)
• मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
• Indonesia (Indonesian)
• Italiano (Italian)
• தமிழ் (Tamil)
• Türkçe (Turkish)
• తెలుగు (Telugu)
• ภาษาไทย (Thai)
• Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
• Čeština (Czech)
• Polski (Polish)
• Românește (Romanian)
• Nederlands (Dutch)
• Ελληνικά (Greek)
• Latinum (Latin)
• Svenska (Swedish)
• Dansk (Danish)
• Suomi (Finnish)
• فارسی (Persian)
• ייִדיש (Yiddish)
• հայերեն (Armenian)
• Norsk (Norwegian)
• English (English)

Word of the Day

Would you like us to send you a FREE new word definition delivered to your inbox daily?

Please enter your email address:

Subscribe

Citation

Use the citation below to add this definition to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"film noir." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LTD, 2026. Web. 5 Jan. 2026. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/film+noir>.

Powered by CITE.ME

Discuss these film noir definitions with the community:

https://www.definitions.net/definition/film+noir

0 Comments

0:00 0:00 clear Notify me of new comments via email. Publish ×Close

Report Comment

We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe.If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.

Cancel Report ×Close

Attachment

Close ×

You need to be logged in to favorite.

or fill the form below

Create a new account

Your name:*Required

Your email address:*Required

Pick a user name:*Required

Join

Log In

Username:*Required

Password:*Required

Log In

Forgot your password? Retrieve it

Are we missing a good definition for film noir? Don't keep it to yourself...

Submit Definition Close ×Close

Note

The ASL fingerspelling provided here is most commonly used for proper names of people and places; it is also used in some languages for concepts for which no sign is available at that moment.There are obviously specific signs for many words available in sign language that are more appropriate for daily usage. Close ×Close

Image Credit

Close

The Web's Largest Resource for

Definitions & Translations

A Member Of The STANDS4 Network

Image or illustration of

film noir

film noir Credit »

Free, no signup required:

Add to Chrome

Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web! Two clicks install »

Free, no signup required:

Add to Firefox

Get instant definitions for any word that hits you anywhere on the web! Two clicks install »

Browse Definitions.net

#ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ Random New Words

Quiz

Are you a words master?

»

a collection containing a variety of sorts of things

A empire B cycling C assortment D assault

Nearby & related entries:

• film industry noun
• film international
• film look
• film maker noun
• film making noun
• film noir noun
• film out
• film over verb
• film poster
• film producer noun
• film projector noun

Alternative searches for film noir:

• Search for Synonyms for film noir
• Search for Anagrams for film noir
• Quotes containing the term film noir
• What is the meaning of the film noir phrase?
• Search for Poems containing the term film noir
• Search for Scripts containing the term film noir
• Search for Abbreviations containing the term film noir
• What rhymes with film noir?
• Search for Song lyrics that mention film noir
• Search for film noir on Amazon

×

Thank you

Thanks for your vote! We truly appreciate your support. Close