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• premiere
  premiere

  noun

  a first public performance or showing of a play, opera, film, etc.
• première
  première

  noun

  premiere.

premiere

¹ American  

[pri-meer, -myair] / prɪˈmɪər, -ˈmyɛər /

French première

noun

1. a first public performance or showing of a play, opera, film, etc.

2. the leading woman, as in a drama.

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verb (used with object)

premiered, premiering

1. to present publicly for the first time.

   to premiere a new foreign film.

verb (used without object)

premiered, premiering

1. to have the first public showing.

   It will premiere at the Arcadia Theater.

2. to perform publicly for the first time, as in a particular role, entertainment medium, etc..

   When does he premiere as Hamlet?

adjective

1. first; initial; principal.

   a premiere showing; the premiere attraction of the evening.

première ² American  

[pri-meer, -myair, pruh-myer] / prɪˈmɪər, -ˈmyɛər, prəˈmyɛr /

noun

plural

premières, premièred, premièring

1. premiere.

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premiere British  

/ ˈprɛmɪə, ˈprɛmɪˌɛə /

noun

1. the first public performance of a film, play, opera, etc

2. the leading lady in a theatre company

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verb

1. to give or be the first public performance of

Etymology

Origin of premiere

First recorded in 1890–95; from French première literally, “first”; feminine of premier; see origin at premier

Explanation

A premiere is the first showing of a work of art. A movie premiere often takes place in Los Angeles or New York, with stars in attendance and the iconic red carpet rolled out to greet them. Premiere comes from the French première, which means "first." The French origin probably accounts for the word's being seen as elegant and exciting. Over time, premiere has spawned its own verb––to premiere means to perform or be performed for the first time.

Example Sentences

A premiere date has not been set for season two.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Instead, she chose a play that is still ahead of its time, Jordan Harrison’s “Marjorie Prime,” which had its premiere at the Mark Taper Forum in 2014.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

The report comes just 20 days before the premiere of the Ferrari Luce, the Prancing Horse’s first fully-electric vehicle.

From Barron's • May 5, 2026

Following the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s opera, the work will be staged at New York’s Brooklyn Academy of Music from May 16 to 21.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 3, 2026

One composer who had no qualms about cooperating with the Nazi regime was Carl Orff, whose Carmina Burana had its tumultuously successful premiere in Frankfurt in June 1937.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• beginning
• debut
• opening