Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Of, relating to, or suitable for dramatic performance or the theater.
- adjective Marked by exaggerated self-display and unnatural behavior; affectedly dramatic.
- noun A stage performance, especially by amateurs.
- noun Affectedly dramatic gestures or behavior; histrionics.
from The Century Dictionary.
- Of or pertaining to a theater or scenic representations; resembling the manner of dramatic performers: as, theatrical performances; theatrical gestures.
- Calculated for display; extravagant; showy; pretentious: as, a theatrical flourish.
- Artificial; affected; assumed.
- noun plural All that pertains to a dramatic performance; also, a dramatic performance itself: applied usually to amateur performances; as, to engage in private theatricals (a dramatic performance in a private house).
- noun A professional actor.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Of or pertaining to a theater, or to the scenic representations; resembling the manner of dramatic performers; histrionic; hence, artificial.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Of or relating to the
theatre . - adjective
Fake andexaggerated . - noun A
stage performance , especially one byamateurs .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective of or relating to the theater
- adjective suited to or characteristic of the stage or theater
- noun a performance of a play
Etymologies
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Examples
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No sooner did Mr. Clay resume his seat than Mr. Cuthbert sprang to his feet, and in an insolent tone alluded to what he called the theatrical manner of the speaker.
Perley's Reminiscences, v. 1-2 of Sixty Years in the National Metropolis Benjamin Perley Poore 1853
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A website has launched for what it describes as the theatrical animated adaptation of Tow Ubukata's Mardock Scramble science fiction novel series.
Anime News Network 2010
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When she wasn't humming she spoke in "theatrical tongue" using many made-up words as we laughed and we purged.
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As if the harrowing play weren't strong enough on its own, he not only adds multiple jazz interludes with a piano-and-horn trio and several singers, he also swamps it in Japanese theatrical techniques: Black-garbed stagehands move furniture and dispense props as in bunraku marionette theater.
French 'Streetcar' Takes a Detour Via Japan Judy Fayard 2011
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When she wasn't humming she spoke in "theatrical tongue" using many made-up words as we laughed and we purged.
French Word-A-Day: 2010
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I work in theatrical multimedia presentation, so I switch between platforms almost daily.
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Though it's hardly the last word in theatrical spectacle, John Going's production does better than just sprinkle shards for the aeronautical collapse, which marks the entrance of a Polish acrobat named Lina Szczepanowska.
George Bernard Shaw's 'Misalliance' misses the mark at Olney Theatre Center Nelson Pressley 2010
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After a thrilling year in theatrical release, Aviva Kempner's excellent documentary, "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" is now on DVD with extras: Berg's guest appearances with Edward R. Murrow and on Ed Sullivan, her recipe for chicken in the pot with kneidlach.
Regina Weinreich: D'Jew?: Woody Allen, Ruth Gruber, Gertrude Berg, and the Jews of Eastern Europe Regina Weinreich 2010
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Face painting booths are a staple at carnivals and fairs, and elaborate make-up is often used in theatrical performances.
Face Paint: Not Just For Carnivals Anymore (SLIDESHOW, POLL) The Huffington Post News Team 2009
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After a thrilling year in theatrical release, Aviva Kempner's excellent documentary, "Yoo Hoo, Mrs. Goldberg" is now on DVD with extras: Berg's guest appearances with Edward R. Murrow and on Ed Sullivan, her recipe for chicken in the pot with kneidlach.
Regina Weinreich: D'Jew?: Woody Allen, Ruth Gruber, Gertrude Berg, and the Jews of Eastern Europe Regina Weinreich 2010
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