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celluloid

American  
[sel-yuh-loid] / ˈsɛl yəˌlɔɪd /

noun

  1. a tough, highly flammable substance consisting essentially of nitrocellulose and camphor: once used in the manufacture of motion-picture and x-ray film, it is now used in a limited line of other products, including guitar picks, musical instruments, and table tennis balls.

  2. motion-picture film.

    He was an intense director and a scrupulous editor, famous for leaving piles of celluloid on the cutting-room floor.

adjective

  1. Informal. of or involving motion pictures.

    a star of the stage who was never lured into the celluloid industry.
celluloid British  
/ ˈsɛljʊˌlɔɪd /

noun

  1. a flammable thermoplastic material consisting of cellulose nitrate mixed with a plasticizer, usually camphor: used in sheets, rods, and tubes for making a wide range of articles

    1. a cellulose derivative used for coating film

    2. one of the transparent sheets on which the constituent drawings of an animated film are prepared

    3. a transparent sheet used as an overlay in artwork

    4. cinema film

"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 celluloid

First recorded in 1870–75; cellul(ose) + -oid; formerly a trademark

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.

The dialogue-heavy chamber piece -- basically a theatrical play on celluloid -- is the fruit of Hawke's decades-long collaboration with director Richard Linklater, which began more than 30 years ago with 1995's "Before Sunrise."

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

There is a virtual crowd of female editors reminiscing and reflecting on Ms. Hillgrove and her work, and the fact that there was a celluloid ceiling in the film industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

Recent topics in her Antiques and Collectibles series have included lectures on celluloid, vintage weddings and Art Deco.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2025

Roberts isn’t just chewing the scenery; she’s devouring the celluloid and licking her chops, hungry for more.

From Salon • Sep. 25, 2025

The mashed celluloid doll and the beads and junk Ralph played with were scattered on the floor.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.