Definition, synonyms and related words
A screen with a wider aspect ratio than the ordinary 35-millimeter frame, making more effective use of the human field of view and producing a more immersive view experience.
"The theater installed new widescreen projectors to immerse the audience fully in the epic battle scenes by utilizing an aspect ratio that extends beyond the standard 35-millimeter frame."
In plain English: Widescreen is a rectangular shape that makes movies and videos look wider than they do on older, boxy televisions or computer monitors.
"The theater offered three different screens, but I preferred to sit in front of the widescreen for better immersion."
Usage: Use "widescreen" as a noun to refer specifically to the large, rectangular display format itself rather than just describing an image's shape. When discussing movies, this term distinguishes films shot with expanded aspect ratios from those using standard square frames.
Filmed in a greater aspect ratio than the 1.33:1 or 1.37:1 aspect ratio.
"The director insisted that the epic battle scene be filmed in widescreen to capture the sweeping landscape more effectively."
In plain English: Widescreen describes something that is much wider than it is tall, like most modern movie screens and TV sets.
"She watched her favorite movie on the new widescreen TV in perfect clarity."
The word widescreen is a straightforward combination of the words wide and screen. It was formed to describe displays that are significantly broader than standard formats.