fade-in

[feyd-in]

noun

Movies, Television. a gradual increase in the visibility of a scene.

Broadcasting, Recording. a gradual increase in the volume of sound, especially of recorded or broadcast music, dialogue, or the like, usually starting from complete inaudibility.

Origin of fade-in

First recorded in 1915–20; noun use of verb phrase fade in

fade

[feyd]

verb (used without object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

to lose brightness or vividness of color.

to become dim, as light, or lose brightness of illumination.

to lose freshness, vigor, strength, or health: The tulips have faded.

to disappear or die gradually (often followed by away or out): His anger faded away.

Movies, Television.

to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed by in).
to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed by out).

Broadcasting, Recording.

to increase gradually in volume of sound, as in recording or broadcasting music, dialogue, etc. (usually followed by in).
to decrease gradually in volume of sound (usually followed by out).

Football. (of an offensive back, especially a quarterback) to move back toward one's own goal line, usually with the intent to pass, after receiving the snapback from center or a hand-off or lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage (usually followed by back): The quarterback was tackled while fading back for a pass.

(of an automotive brake) to undergo brake fade.

verb (used with object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

to cause to fade: Sunshine faded the drapes.

(in dice throwing) to make a wager against (the caster).

Movies, Television.

to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed by in).
to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed by out).

Broadcasting, Recording. to cause (the volume of sound) to increase or decrease gradually (usually followed by in or out).

noun

an act or instance of fading.

Movies, Television Informal. a fade-out.

Automotive. brake fade.

Origin of fade

1275–1325; 1915–20 for def 5; Middle English faden, derivative of fade pale, dull < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *fatidus, for Latin fatuus fatuous

Related formsfad·a·ble, adjectivefad·ed·ly, adverbfad·ed·ness, nounpre·fade, verb (used with object), pre·fad·ed, pre·fad·ing.un·fad·a·ble, adjectiveun·fad·ed, adjectiveun·fad·ing, adjectivewell-fad·ed, adjective

Synonym study

4. See disappear.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for fade-in

fade-in

noun

films an optical effect in which a shot appears gradually out of darkness

a gradual increase in the volume in a radio or television broadcast

verb fade in (adverb)

Also: fade up to increase or cause to increase gradually, as vision or sound in a film or broadcast

fade

verb

to lose or cause to lose brightness, colour, or clarity

(intr) to lose freshness, vigour, or youth; wither

(intr; usually foll by away or out) to vanish slowly; die out

to decrease the brightness or volume of (a television or radio programme or film sequence) or (of a television programme, etc) to decrease in this way
to decrease the volume of (a sound) in a recording system or (of a sound) to be so reduced in volume

(intr) (of the brakes of a vehicle) to lose power

to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled left-to-right trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from left to right

noun

the act or an instance of fading

Derived Formsfadable, adjectivefadedness, nounfader, noun

Word Origin for fade

C14: from fade (adj) dull, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin fatidus (unattested), probably blend of Latin vapidus vapid + Latin fatuus fatuous

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

Word Origin and History for fade-in

fade

early 14c., "lose brightness, grow pale," from Old French fader "become weak, wilt, wither," from adj. fade "pale, weak, insipid" (12c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, some sort of blending of Latin fatuus "silly, tasteless" + vapidus "flat, flavorless." Related: Faded; fading. As a noun, from c.1300.