genre

American  

[zhahn-ruh, zhahn-r^uh] / ˈʒɑn rə, ˈʒɑ̃ rə /

noun

plural

genres

1. a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like.

   the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music.

2. Fine Arts.

   1. paintings in which scenes of everyday life form the subject matter.

   2. a realistic style of painting using such subject matter.

3. genus; kind; sort; style.

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adjective

1. Fine Arts. of or relating to genre.

2. of or relating to a distinctive literary type.

genre British  

/ ˈʒɑːnrə /

noun

1. 1. kind, category, or sort, esp of literary or artistic work

   2. ( as modifier )

      genre fiction

2. a category of painting in which domestic scenes or incidents from everyday life are depicted

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genre Cultural  

1. The kind or type of a work of art, from the French, meaning “kind” or “genus.” Literary genres include the novel and the sonnet. Musical genres include the concerto and the symphony. Film genres include Westerns and horror movies.

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Etymology

Origin of genre

First recorded in 1760–70; from French: “kind, sort”; see gender ¹

Explanation

A genre is a specific type of music, film, or writing. Your favorite literary genre might be science fiction, and your favorite film genre might be horror flicks about cheerleaders. Go figure. In music, genre refers to musical style such as jazz, salsa or rock. In film or literature, the genre is determined by the subject, setting or plot of the story. When you are wandering around a book store, books are usually arranged by genre. Many genres, such as "mystery" or "fantasy," overlap in film and literature, while others, such as "romantic comedy" in film or "historical fiction" in books, are specific to one or the other.

Example Sentences

Publishing has long been subject to cyclical changes, with trends in format and genre taking over bookshelves in grand sweeps.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026

“Even people who know a lot about this genre will discover something they didn’t know. There’s joy in that.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Soccer-themed documentaries have proliferated in recent years, with the 2023 hit Netflix series about David Beckham helping popularise the genre.

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

"Only two females in history at any moment in time in professional sports have been the biggest male or female in their genre, or in their sport," said Bidarian.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

Concepts: As a genre, we believe opera to be a classical form, complicated, and with a long tradition and heritage rooted in the European classical tradition.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Related Words

• brand
• category
• character
• fashion
• kind
• style