NC-17

American  

[en-see-sev-uhn-teen] / ˈɛnˈsiˌsɛv ənˈtin /

abbreviation

1. Trademark. no children 17 and under: a rating assigned to a movie by the MPA advising that persons under the age of 18 will not be admitted to a theater showing the film.

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Etymology

Origin of NC-17

An American designation established as a replacement for the rating designation X ³ ( def. 8 ) in 1990

Example Sentences

But the movie was mired in controversy, from its NC-17 rating to the hostile reviews and cratering at the box office.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 11, 2025

Those scenes led the M.P.A. to give the film a surprise NC-17 rating.

From New York Times • Aug. 2, 2023

The arthouse distributor MUBI, which acquired “Passages” after its acclaimed premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, rejected the NC-17 label and is instead releasing “Passages” as “unrated.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 1, 2023

Other films given an NC-17 have opted — like the team behind “Passages” — to reject the rating and go unrated, such as Todd Solondz’s “Happiness” and Darren Aronofsky’s “Requiem for a Dream.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 19, 2023

The ratings — G, PG, PG-13, R and NC-17 — have remained unchanged since 1990.

From New York Times • Jan. 27, 2023