comic strip

American  

noun

1. a sequence of drawings, either in color or black and white, relating a comic incident, an adventure or mystery story, etc., often serialized, typically having dialogue printed in balloons, and usually printed as a horizontal strip in daily newspapers and in an uninterrupted block or longer sequence of such strips in Sunday newspapers and in comic books.

---

comic strip British  

noun

1. Also called: strip cartoon.  a sequence of drawings in a newspaper, magazine, etc, relating a humorous story or an adventure

---

Etymology

Origin of comic strip

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20

Example Sentences

I’m starting to think large numbers of American voters — and especially conservatives — have never read the “Peanuts” comic strip.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

The comic strip featured a boss with two points of black hair resembling horns.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

The creator of the “Dilbert” comic strip had battled prostate cancer for many years.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

Scott Adams, the US cartoonist who wrote and illustrated the comic strip Dilbert, has died of cancer at the age of 68.

From BBC • Jan. 13, 2026

At a table in front of the banner, students with hipster glasses and uncombed hair hung out, talking about whether Ferd Johnson was really the genius behind the 1920s comic strip Moon Mullins.

From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• cartoon
• comic