Grand Guignol

[grahn gee-nyawl]

noun

1. a short drama stressing horror and sensationalism.

2. of, relating to, or resembling such a drama.

Grand Guignol

/ ɡrɑ̃ ɡiɲɔl /

noun

1. 1. a brief sensational play intended to horrify

   2. (modifier) of, relating to, or like plays of this kind

Word History and Origins

Origin of Grand Guignol¹

First recorded in 1905–10; after Le Grand Guignol, small theater in Paris where such dramas were performed

Word History and Origins

Origin of Grand Guignol¹

C20: after Le Grand Guignol, a small theatre in Montmartre, Paris

Example Sentences

When the film finally gets to its Grand Guignol climax, it rushes through the barbarity, taking no delight in it.

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I don’t love this Grand Guignol about a Hollywood actor literally killing herself to stay gorgeous, but I’m thrilled that this year’s best picture montage might include a shot of a blood-spattered Walk of Fame.

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As mixed as I am on the film itself, I appreciate that the Academy is embracing not just a horror movie, but a gleeful Grand Guignol that defiles the Walk of Fame twice.

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Genres are mashed together at will: western, action, romance, Grand Guignol.

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Hers is a Grand Guignol sensibility that any “White Lotus” fan will get — and applaud.

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