matinée

or mat·i·nee

[ mat-n-ey; especially British mat-n-ey ]

/ ˌmæt nˈeɪ; especially British ˈmæt nˌeɪ /

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noun

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

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Origin of matinée

1840–50; <French: morning. See matin

Words nearby matinée

Mathusala, Matie, matilda, Matilija poppy, matin, matinée, matinée coat, matinée idol, mating ball, matins, Matisse

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use matinée in a sentence

In the old days of fame, matinee-idol actors and pin-up picture actresses may have been dim bulbs.
Welcome to Showbiz Sharia Law|P. J. O’Rourke|May 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The crowd at the matinee showing I went to of Of Mice and Men was comprised of many young kids—mostly female.
James Franco Uncensored: The Actor on Broadway, NYT Hate, and That Half-Naked Instagram|Marlow Stern|May 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At this point, Franco says an abrupt “goodbye” and rushes off to the theater for a matinee performance.
James Franco Uncensored: The Actor on Broadway, NYT Hate, and That Half-Naked Instagram|Marlow Stern|May 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the humans are entertaining enough in this Provencal matinee, the bird is the star.
One Perfect Summer Day in Virginia Woolf, Saul Bellow and Others|Matt Seidel|September 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST

So we did a matinee Sunday afternoon and then went straight from the matinee to the awards.
John Gallagher Jr., Star of ‘Newsroom’ and ‘Short Term 12,’ Is Hollywood’s Nicest Guy|Kevin Fallon|August 23, 2013|DAILY BEAST
There was still money in her purse, and her next temptation presented itself in the shape of a matinee poster.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
From him I learned that the occasion was neither a full-dress ball nor a chance gathering of a jour fixe, but a musical matinee.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician|Frederick Niecks
Franchomme, whom I questioned about the matinee at the Marquis de Custine's, had no recollection of it.
Frederick Chopin as a Man and Musician|Frederick Niecks
You see mamma and I met Judith Blount one afternoon at a matinee just before college opened.
Molly Brown's Sophomore Days|Nell Speed
Not long after this matinee experience—perhaps a month—Mrs. Vance invited Carrie to an evening at the theatre with them.
Sister Carrie|Theodore Dreiser

British Dictionary definitions for matinée

matinée

/ (ˈmætɪˌneɪ) /

noun

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

Word Origin for matinée

C19: from French; see matins

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