script
noun
the letters or characters used in writing by hand; handwriting, especially cursive writing.
script
1 American
[skript]
/ skrɪpt /
noun
-
scripts
plural
-
the letters or characters used in writing by hand; handwriting, especially cursive writing.
-
a manuscript or document.
-
the text of a manuscript or document.
-
the manuscript or one of various copies of the written text of a play, motion picture, or radio or television broadcast.
-
any system of writing.
-
Printing. a type imitating handwriting.
-
Digital Technology. an executable section of code that automates a task.
You will have to run the script to install the program on your computer.
verb (used with object)
-
scripts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scripted,
past participle, past
-
scripting
present participle
-
to write a script for.
The movie was scripted by a famous author.
-
to plan or devise; make arrangements for.
The week-long festivities were scripted by a team of experts.
-
Digital Technology. to write an executable section of code for (a program) in order to automate a task.
You can script a program that will scan your files.
verb (used without object)
-
scripts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
scripted,
past participle, past
-
scripting
present participle
Script.
2
American
abbreviation
-
Scriptural.
-
Scripture.
script
British
/ skrɪpt /
noun
-
handwriting as distinguished from print, esp cursive writing
-
the letters, characters, or figures used in writing by hand
-
any system or style of writing
-
written copy for the use of performers in films and plays
-
law
-
an original or principal document
-
(esp in England) a will or codicil or the draft for one
-
-
any of various typefaces that imitate handwriting
-
computing a series of instructions that is executed by a computer program
-
an answer paper in an examination
-
another word for scrip 3
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
scriptsimple
-
scriptssimple
-
have scriptedperfect
-
has scriptedperfect
-
am scriptingprogressive
-
are scriptingprogressive
-
is scriptingprogressive
-
have been scriptingperfect progressive
-
has been scriptingperfect progressive
Past
-
scriptedsimple
-
had scriptedperfect
-
was scriptingprogressive
-
were scriptingprogressive
-
had been scriptingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of script
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (noun), from Latin scriptum, noun use of neuter past participle of scrībere “to write”; replacing Middle English scrit, from Old French escrit, from Latin, as above; (verb) first recorded in 1930–35; from the noun.
Explanation
A script is a written version of a play or movie. If you're auditioning for a movie, you'll get the script to practice a scene or two. Script comes from the Latin scrībĕre, meaning "to write," and all its meanings have to do with something written. Your handwriting is your script. The written version of what you're supposed to say, whether for a wedding toast or a play, is a script. And if you were feeling old-fashioned you could call the grocery list you just wrote a script. It's also a verb. You can script a play.
Vocabulary lists containing script
The Write Stuff: Scrib, Script
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Academy Awards, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Theater - Introductory
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
The script ends shortly after Haugen testified before Congress in October 2021, noting that the carpet in her waiting room had recently been swapped out because of bloodstains from the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Such is the script that a trip to what promises to be a ferocious Anfield - a place Guardiola always described as difficult - is next.
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Like much else in Mr. Sorkin’s script, the idea is almost funny.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026
From a draft script shared by The Bulwark:
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
It means sweating in a suit, watching Ma cry up close, and reciting that dumb grief script to everyone who asks, under threat of Ma’s heat vision.
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
It is included in Pelzel and Dobrowsky, Script. rer.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 4 "Coquelin" to "Costume" by Various
The latter has been reprinted in the Script. rer.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 1 "Gichtel, Johann" to "Glory" by Various
As such he is also mentioned in Script. rer.
From Teutonic Mythology, Vol. 1 of 3 Gods and Goddesses of the Northland by Ph.D.
Script., published in 1548, during Barclay's life time, adorns him with the epithets "Scotus, rhetor ac poeta insignis."
From The Ship of Fools, Volume 1 by Alexander Barclay
He understands how to use his innate magnetism to charm his way through even the silliest scripts, occasionally creating a dissonance between the film and his performances that makes even the duds memorable.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
I do have these movie scripts I want to get done.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
He said: "It's not about me or my journey, it's about the players and how they're writing different scripts every time we take the field."
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Companies usually send him weekly briefings with assigned scripts, visual “hooks” to grab viewers’ attention, and captions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
The three of us sit around a small table and discuss possible projects while Mrs. Johnson flips through a pile of scripts on her desk.
From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins
Whatever the future holds, Harmanpreet has scripted among the more memorable careers in women's cricket.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
It’s hard to cause trouble for a boss who can simply write rabble-rousers out of the scripted action.
From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026
The younger Kazan, who developed this project and scripted most of it, has addressed that problem by tackling the entire text, in ways her grandfather couldn’t possibly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
“The Late Show” won the Emmy for talk series in 2025, while “Last Week Tonight” took the trophy for scripted variety series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Even during this face-to-face “personal” time, many of Sinclair’s comments seemed scripted.
From "City Spies" by James Ponti
A game's engine is a piece of software that packs everything needed to craft a playable experience - including graphics rendering, physics simulation and scripting - into one place for creators.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Wordless storytelling, an homage to silent films, is a cinematic scripting choice that demands a deeper level of acting ability we might otherwise overlook in a movie like this.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026
Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers were a few weeks into scripting their upcoming awards show when it hit them: They’d forgotten about the Coldplay kiss-cam couple.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
"As a result of customer feedback, we recently removed this particular scripting."
From Barron's ● Feb. 27, 2026
Although the conference was supposed to focus on Perl, a scripting language created by Unix hacker Larry Wall, O'Reilly assured Raymond that the conference would address other free software technologies.
From Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software by Sam Williams
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.
