high camp: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2Informal, specialized (arts, criticism, LGBTQ+ discourse)
Quick answer
What does “high camp” mean?
An aesthetic style that is intentionally and exaggeratedly artificial, theatrical, and ostentatious, often with an ironic appreciation of bad taste.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An aesthetic style that is intentionally and exaggeratedly artificial, theatrical, and ostentatious, often with an ironic appreciation of bad taste.
A form of camp that is self-aware, sophisticated, and deliberately over-the-top, often elevating what is considered vulgar or sentimental into a conscious artistic statement. It is a style, performance, or attitude that is knowingly and flamboyantly excessive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally understood in artistic and academic circles in both varieties.
Connotations
Strongly associated with the performing arts (theatre, film, opera), fashion, and queer aesthetics in both cultures.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in UK media due to longer-established traditions of theatrical and pantomime criticism.
Grammar
How to Use “high camp” in a Sentence
the high camp of [noun phrase]a masterpiece of high campto be (pure/utter) high campVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “high camp” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The production had a wonderfully high-camp sensibility.
American English
- It was the most high-camp awards show I've ever seen.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare. Potentially used metaphorically to describe an overly flashy, non-serious corporate presentation.
Academic
Used in cultural studies, film/theatre criticism, and gender/queer studies to analyse style and performance.
Everyday
Uncommon. May be used by enthusiasts to describe a knowingly over-the-top film, outfit, or party.
Technical
A specific term in performance studies and aesthetic theory, often contrasted with 'low camp' and related to theories of parody and postmodernism.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “high camp”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “high camp”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “high camp”
- Using it to mean simply 'cheap' or 'tacky' without the element of conscious, artistic irony. Confusing it with 'camping' (the outdoor activity).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Camp' is the broader sensibility or style. 'High camp' is a more specific, self-aware, and sophisticated subset of camp that is deliberately and artfully exaggerated.
Absolutely. High camp is an aesthetic mode, not a judgment of quality. Many critically acclaimed films, plays, and artworks are celebrated for their masterful use of high camp.
While the concept of 'camp' has long existed, the specific distinction between 'high' and 'low' camp was popularised by cultural critic Susan Sontag in her 1964 essay 'Notes on Camp'.
No, but it has deep roots in and is a significant part of queer culture and aesthetics. Its strategies of irony, exaggeration, and subversion have been powerful tools for marginalised groups.
An aesthetic style that is intentionally and exaggeratedly artificial, theatrical, and ostentatious, often with an ironic appreciation of bad taste.
High camp is usually informal, specialized (arts, criticism, lgbtq+ discourse) in register.
High camp: in British English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈkæmp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌhaɪ ˈkæmp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It was high camp from start to finish.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a very **high** stage with a performer in a **camp** (exaggeratedly theatrical) outfit, winking at the audience knowingly. High = extreme, Camp = theatrical artificiality.
Conceptual Metaphor
ART IS A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE. SINCERITY IS VULGARITY (when elevated with irony).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best exemplifies 'high camp'?