matinée

American  

[mat-n-ey, mat-n-ey] / ˌmæt nˈeɪ, ˈmæt nˌeɪ /

Or matinee

noun

1. an entertainment, especially a dramatic or musical performance, held in the daytime, usually in the afternoon.

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matinée British  

/ ˈmætɪˌneɪ /

noun

1. a daytime, esp afternoon, performance of a play, concert, etc

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Etymology

Origin of matinée

1840–50; < French: morning. See matin

Explanation

An afternoon performance is called a matinee, like a matinee performance of a play that starts at two o’clock. The noun matinee is related to French word matin, which means “morning.” From the 1930’s through the 1960’s, afternoon movies were the precursors to soap operas and the term “matinee idol” referred to the male heartthrobs who acted in them. Such men had many fans but they didn't have the critical respect of "prime time" actors. In many places, heading to a movie matinee is a way to save a few bucks; it's cheaper than evening ticket prices.

Example Sentences

Some movie stars appear to have already accepted the demise of the matinée idol and jumped to streaming services.

From BBC • May 24, 2024

Jamie Lee Curtis is Hollywood royalty: her parents were Janet Leigh, the star of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho,” and Tony Curtis, the matinée idol from “Sweet Smell of Success.”

From The New Yorker • Dec. 1, 2019

Joseph Estrada, a former matinée idol who had often played Robin Hood types, rose to the presidency by promising to be hard on bad guys and good to the poor.

From Economist • Sep. 14, 2017

The roles dried up, and, when the fifties gave way to the sixties, a distrust toward prepackaged matinée idols made Hunter a relic.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 16, 2015

Walter and I are relaxing between the matinée and evening show when there’s a soft rapping on our door.

From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen