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high concept

American  

noun

  1. a simple and often striking idea or premise, as of a story or film, that lends itself to easy promotion and marketing.


high concept British  

noun

    1. popular appeal

    2.  high-concept.  ( as modifier )

      Baz Luhrmann's high-concept Romeo and Juliet

"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 high concept

First recorded in 1980–85

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.

"We took a high concept problem -- that is, 'how do ear bones wiggle in a 250-million-year-old fossil?' -- and tested a simple hypothesis using these sophisticated tools. And it turns out in Thrinaxodon, the eardrum does just fine all by itself."

From Science Daily

Jade drew a huge crowd to the Woodsies stage, displaying her 17 years of pop experience with a slick, high concept set full of pop bangers; including a thrilling medley of songs from her old band, Little Mix.

From BBC

This is obviously a very high concept, but I think the subtext is that everyone’s got something.

From Los Angeles Times

Embracing the increasingly cinematic aesthetic of stand-up specials, his new hour, which he directed and is actually closer to 50 minutes, takes his act and wraps it around an intricate high concept.

From New York Times

The difference between a beat tape by Kendrick Lamar and his most recent high concept polish, for example.

From Los Angeles Times