period piece

American  

noun

1. something, as a novel, painting, or building, of interest or value primarily because it evokes or epitomizes a particular period of history.

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period piece British  

noun

1. an object, a piece of music, a play, etc, valued for its quality of evoking a particular historical period: often one regarded as of little except historical interest

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Etymology

Origin of period piece

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

period piece

It’s a film unlike any other period piece, as sumptuous as decadent as a French pastry.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

This was not, after all, your conventional period piece.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

It’s a period piece, about a transitional period.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

This time included periods when she focused on 2017’s “Zama,” her masterful period piece following a Spanish official in 18th century Argentina “who doesn’t want to be American,” she says, referring to the continent.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026

It is a distinctly 1960s take on the Gospel of St. Matthew, a sort of period piece within a period piece that was initially criticized for its flower-child vibe and hippie-dippie costuming.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

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