soundtrack

American  

[sound-trak] / ˈsaʊndˌtræk /

noun

• soundtracks
  plural

1. the narrow band on one or both sides of a motion-picture film on which sound is recorded.

2. the sound recorded on a motion-picture film; audio portion of a film.

3. the music or dialogue from a film available on a commercial recording.

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soundtrack British  

/ ˈsaʊndˌtræk /

noun

1. the recorded sound accompaniment to a film Compare commentary

2. a narrow strip along the side of a spool of film, which carries the sound accompaniment

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verb

1. (tr) to provide a continuous accompaniment of sounds, esp music

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• soundtracks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of soundtrack

First recorded in 1925–30; sound ¹ + track

Explanation

The music that a movie is set to is its soundtrack. Some soundtracks are composed and recorded especially for a film, while others are made up of many songs by different musicians. TV shows and video games often have soundtracks too, although the concept started with films. During the silent film era, musicians would sometimes play live music to accompany a movie screening. The origin of the term soundtrack goes back to approximately the same time that the first "talkie," or film with sound (1929's "The Jazz Singer"), was screened for audiences. A recorded album featuring the music from a movie is also called a soundtrack.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

soundtrack soundtracks

We don’t need an unsettling soundtrack to know that bad things happen here, but Tom sees nothing but potential.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

While the car’s Mood Modes include an accompanying soundtrack of thrumming, guttering performance sounds, I was happy to turn it off and rejoice in the well-wrought, hard-won quiet.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026

Yet the soundtrack is one of the most critically neglected Hitchcock scores.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

Shot on location, Eon Mora’s cinematography swoons every time it takes in ice-blue lakes as the soundtrack cues a stream of cutesy pop songs, most of which are pretty good.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

I’m about to crawl up to my top bunk and turn on the Black Panther soundtrack when our doorbell rings.

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks

At least one Dave & Buster’s location within the past year has hired a string quartet to play live versions of iconic video game soundtracks.

From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026

What was important was merchandising: toys, theme parks, soundtracks and franchises.

From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2026

John Williams’ gloriously Wagnerian soundtracks helped launch the never-ending “Star Wars” sagas.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 28, 2026

U.S. government accounts have disseminated black-and-white videos of the strikes set to action-movie soundtracks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 7, 2026

Mom’s playlist would only have show tunes and movie soundtracks.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas