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.

See Examples For:

Academy Award

The sixth annual fundraiser honored Oscar winner Charlize Theron with the Icon Award, filmmaker and composer John Carpenter with the Luminary Award and Academy Award nominee Colman Domingo with the Vantage Award.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026

The actor, who scored an Academy Award for her starring role in the hit film "Anora," said she shares "a lot of the same sensibilities" and concerns voiced by White.

From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026

Astaire’s recording helped propel “The Way You Look Tonight” to six weeks atop “Your Hit Parade,” and the song won an Academy Award.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

His career spanned more than five decades, during which he received several major honours, including the African Movie Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role and lifetime achievement honours.

From BBC ● Sep. 16, 2026

Among his honors was the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the 1973 film The Paper Chase.

From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow

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