premiere
noun
a first public performance or showing of a play, opera, film, etc.
premiere
1 American
[pri-meer, -myair]
/ prɪˈmɪər, -ˈmjɛər /
French
première
noun
-
premieres
plural
-
a first public performance or showing of a play, opera, film, etc.
-
the leading woman, as in a drama.
verb (used with object)
premiered,
premiering
verb (used without object)
premiered,
premiering
-
to have the first public showing.
It will premiere at the Arcadia Theater.
-
to perform publicly for the first time, as in a particular role, entertainment medium, etc..
When does he premiere as Hamlet?
adjective
première
2
American
[pri-meer, -myair, pr uh-myer]
/ prɪˈmɪər, -ˈmjɛər, prəˈmjɛr /
noun
-
premières
plural
premiere
British
/ ˈprɛmɪə, ˈprɛmɪˌɛə /
noun
-
the first public performance of a film, play, opera, etc
-
the leading lady in a theatre company
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing premiere
English Words Derived from French, List 3
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Academy Awards, List 4
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Commonly Confused Words, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
By the time the BBC launched the cult cinema series Moviedrome in 1988, external, there was only one choice for opening night - the premiere of a previously unseen edit of The Wicker Man.
From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026
Three screenings showcase the director’s stylish, morally complicated work: ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘Unfaithful’ and the theatrical premiere of ‘Deep Water.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
The Hope Street star's 2017 novel is based on his hometown and will premiere this weekend.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
A highlight: Striking poses in orange leather ensembles identical to the matching attire worn by Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner at the “Marty Supreme” premiere.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
Said he’s gonna set it up so I can premiere the song in a live performance at the Ring.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
One of Ms. Zeani's career highlights was singing the lead role of Blanche in the première of Francis Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites” at La Scala in 1957.
From New York Times ● Mar. 21, 2023
On Monday the outgoing PM, Jean Castex, called Ms Borne "première ministre" - a feminine form of the usual "premier ministre" - to underline the historical significance of her appointment.
From BBC ● May 17, 2022
“There’s no such thing as silence,” Cage said, following the première.
From The New Yorker ● Jan. 9, 2020
When the movie was done, they staged an ersatz Hollywood première at a theatre in Westwood, with a limo hired by one boy’s parents.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 4, 2019
I told Doreen I would not go to the show or the luncheon or the film première, but that I would not go to Coney Island either, I would stay in bed.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Notable performances include the world premieres of a work choreographed by ex-New York City Ballet principal Jock Soto and a piece by contemporary dancer and choreographer Sidra Bell.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
Zainab, who is Muslim and wears a hijab, is also often one of the only people covering her hair at premieres, but she says finding ways to incorporate modest wear is part of the fun.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Both the dome and the theater complex will feature repertory screenings, filmmaker series, premieres and special events.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
Both premieres were reminders that the sound system will have many purposes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Live concerts in the nineteenth century had typically presented mostly premieres, with some familiar favourites sandwiched in alongside them.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
I would see knots of critics at performances, gaggles of them at big premières.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 13, 2017
More than a hundred composers were featured, more than half of them supplying world premières.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 20, 2016
He was mooching around film sets and premières, and the parts began rolling in.
From Economist ● Jun. 9, 2016
But over the course of three seasons—the fourth premières tonight, on FX—“The Americans” has become one of the most multilayered dramas on TV; nothing else can match its combination of genuine sadness and muted, mordant hilarity.
From The New Yorker ● Mar. 16, 2016
In 1842, she went to Paris, where she soon took rank with the best jeunes premières of the capital.
From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine - Volume 61, No. 376, February, 1847 by Various
Recently, a new season of “Hard Knocks” premiered, HBO’s behind-the-scenes journey through one American pro football team’s pre-season training camp.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026
The action takes place in New York City but much of the movie, which premiered in London this week, was filmed more than 3,000 miles away in Glasgow.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
“The Walking Dead” premiered on the AMC network in 2010, introducing audiences to the high-stakes world of a zombie apocalypse.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
“Iron Man and his Awesome Friends” premiered last year and will be renamed “Avengers: Mightiest Friends” in 2027.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
On October 5, the first James Bond movie premiered in London.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Season 2 of the Peabody Award-winning series about two hockey rivals entangled in a heated romance is still months away from premiering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
The months-long integration of Disney+ and Hulu appears to have reached a tipping point, with nearly everything premiering on Hulu this month also available on Disney+.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 31, 2026
After premiering at the Toronto Film Festival last year and releasing at the beginning of May, it has become a word-of-mouth phenomenon over the last two months with fright-loving Gen Z audiences in particular.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Off Campus” was viewed by 36 million viewers within the first 12 days of premiering, the streamer reported, becoming its third most-watched show debut ever.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
Through sheer coincidence, around the same time Mom was doing her research on the club, a documentary film about Peter Westbrook himself was premiering in New York City.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
