Agency Dictionary
noir
adjectivePronunciation: /nwɑːr/
In Portuguese: noir
Arts, Music & Media
Writing & NarrativeWhat does “noir” mean?
Characterized by cynical attitudes, dramatic shadows, moral ambiguity, and moodiness reminiscent of vintage crime cinema.
Etymology
Borrowed from French noir (black), which developed through Old French noir and neir from Latin nigrum, the accusative of niger (black). In English, the word entered as part of the critical term film noir, applied to a style of Hollywood cinema in the mid-twentieth century characterized by dark photography and moral ambiguity, and later shed its French companion to serve as a standalone genre label and adjective.
Usage note
Originally a critical label for a specific cycle of American films, noir now names any work of fiction, visual art, or design marked by darkness, moral complexity, and fatalistic atmosphere, across literature, photography, and graphic design.
Synonyms
- dark
- shadowy
- cynical
- hard-boiled
Word family
- film noir
- neo-noir
Rhymes with
- star
- far
- car
- bar
Usage examples
Would it be a noir romance, western, thriller, mystery, musical, or other?
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
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