montage: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Technical (in arts/media), Neutral (in extended use).
Quick answer
What does “montage” mean?
A technique in film editing or visual art where a single composite piece is created by assembling and juxtaposing separate, often contrasting, elements (images, sounds, clips).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A technique in film editing or visual art where a single composite piece is created by assembling and juxtaposing separate, often contrasting, elements (images, sounds, clips).
Any creative work or process that combines various distinct components into a unified whole to create a specific effect or convey a complex idea. This can apply to music, literature, photography, or even a description of a complex situation.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in core meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more associated with European avant-garde film history in UK discourse; in US, may have a stronger immediate association with Hollywood filmmaking and trailer production.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties within artistic/academic contexts. Slightly more likely in everyday US English due to prevalence of film/TV industry terminology.
Grammar
How to Use “montage” in a Sentence
montage of + [plural noun/images/clips]create/make/edit + a montagebe + edited/cut/assembled + into a montageVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “montage” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The director chose to montage the childhood memories rather than depict them linearly.
- (Rare/Technical)
American English
- The editor will montage these clips to show the passage of time.
- (Rare/Technical)
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form exists.]
American English
- [No standard adverbial form exists.]
adjective
British English
- The montage sequence was brilliantly paced.
- (Use is attributive, not predicative)
American English
- She has a distinctive montage style in her documentary work.
- (Use is attributive, not predicative)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might be used metaphorically in marketing: 'The presentation was a montage of client testimonials and growth charts.'
Academic
Common in Film Studies, Media Studies, and Art History to describe an editing technique or artistic method.
Everyday
Understood, especially in relation to movies, social media photo collages, or sentimental video compilations (e.g., wedding montage).
Technical
Core term in film editing, video production, and graphic design, specifying a precise editing technique.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “montage”
Strong
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “montage”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “montage”
- Using it as a common verb ('He montaged the video' is non-standard; prefer 'He edited the video into a montage').
- Confusing it with 'collage' (montage implies sequence/movement in film; collage is typically static).
- Misspelling as 'montague' (a name).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While it originated and is most precise in film, it is widely used for photography, music, and any creative assembly of disparate elements (e.g., a 'montage of sounds').
Collage usually refers to a static visual art form using glued materials. Montage implies a sequence, often with a temporal element, and is the standard term for the technique in moving images (film/video).
It can, but it is very rare and considered industry jargon. In standard English, it's better to use phrases like 'create a montage of' or 'edit into a montage'.
The word was borrowed from French. British English often retains a foreign word's stress pattern more closely (first syllable: /ˈmɒntɑːʒ/), while American English frequently shifts stress to the final syllable in French borrowings (/mɑːnˈtɑːʒ/).
A technique in film editing or visual art where a single composite piece is created by assembling and juxtaposing separate, often contrasting, elements (images, sounds, clips).
Montage is usually formal, technical (in arts/media), neutral (in extended use). in register.
Montage: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɒntɑːʒ/, and in American English it is pronounced /mɑːnˈtɑːʒ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No specific idioms. The word itself is a technical term often used descriptively.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MONtage as a MONtage of different pictures put together on one page.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A MONTAGE (a series of fragmented but significant moments assembled into a narrative).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'montage' most precisely and technically defined?