Academy Award

American

Trademark.

an annual award given to a performer, director, technician, etc., of the motion-picture industry for superior achievement in a specific category: judged by the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and symbolized by the presentation of an Oscar.

Academy Award British

noun

the official name for an Oscar

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Academy Award

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

No wonder “Casablanca” won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1944 and made more money than all but six movies the year it was released.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

Yet, as the 98th Academy Award demonstrated, the show isn’t equipped to do much more than talk up its own impact and hope to come out unscathed on the right side of history.

From Salon • Mar. 16, 2026

Jordan made good on the momentum he gained by winning the SAG Actor Award two weeks ago to bring home an Academy Award in his first try.

From Barron's • Mar. 16, 2026

The win marks the third Academy Award for the 65-year-old Penn and his first in the supporting category.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026

He acknowledged the loud applause of the crowd like a prom queen or an Academy Award winner having the first of what would undoubtedly be a lifetime of moments such as these.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023