newsreel
C1Formal, Historical, Journalistic
Definition
Meaning
A short film containing news stories and current events, shown in cinemas before the main feature in the pre‑television era.
Any short, regular audio‑visual compilation of recent news events; a dated or historical format for news dissemination; sometimes used metaphorically to describe a rapid series of images or memories.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is strongly associated with the mid‑20th century. In contemporary usage, it often carries a nostalgic or historical connotation. It refers specifically to a cinematic format, distinct from television news broadcasts or online news clips.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Spelling is consistent. The cultural history of newsreels (e.g., Pathé News in the UK, The March of Time in the US) may be referenced differently.
Connotations
In both varieties, it connotes a historical, pre‑digital era of news consumption.
Frequency
Equally low‑frequency in both dialects, used mainly in historical or media‑studies contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
watch a newsreelfeature in a newsreelpreserved on newsreeltaken from a contemporary newsreelVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “like a newsreel of the mind (referring to rapid, sequential memories)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Might appear in media history discussions or archival services.
Academic
Common in film studies, media history, and 20th‑century cultural studies.
Everyday
Rare. Used when referring to old films or historical events as seen in period cinema.
Technical
Used in film archiving, restoration, and historical media documentation.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adjective
British English
- The newsreel era ended with the rise of television.
- He has a newsreel memory of the war.
American English
- Newsreel footage captured the parade.
- Her thoughts played like a newsreel montage.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My grandfather watched newsreels at the cinema.
- We saw old newsreels about the Second World War in history class.
- The documentary incorporated authentic newsreel footage from the 1930s.
- Before television, the public’s primary visual news source was the weekly cinematic newsreel, which often presented a state‑sanctioned perspective.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
NEWS + REEL: Think of a reel of film containing the news, shown on a big reel‑to‑reel projector in old cinemas.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PAST IS A FILM ARCHIVE; MEMORIES ARE NEWSREELS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating as 'новости' (news) – it is specifically a film format. The closer equivalent is 'киножурнал' or 'хроника'.
Common Mistakes
- Using it to refer to modern TV news segments. Confusing it with 'newsfeed' (digital).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'newsreel' primarily associated with?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not for contemporary news. The term is used historically or to describe archived film footage from the pre‑television era.
A newsreel is a short compilation of recent news events, typically 5‑10 minutes, shown regularly in cinemas. A documentary is a longer, in‑depth film on a specific topic.
No, it is exclusively a noun. The related activity would be 'to film for a newsreel' or 'to feature in a newsreel'.
It refers to the physical reel of film on which the moving pictures were stored and projected in cinemas.