celluloid definitions

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: artificial as if portrayed in a film; "a novel with flat celluloid characters" [syn: celluloid, synthetic] n
1: highly flammable substance made from cellulose nitrate and camphor; used in e.g. motion-picture and X-ray film; its use has decreased with the development of nonflammable thermoplastics
2: a medium that disseminates moving pictures; "theater pieces transferred to celluloid"; "this story would be good cinema"; "film coverage of sporting events" [syn: film, cinema, celluloid]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: from Celluloid, a trademark Date: 1870 1. a tough flammable thermoplastic composed essentially of cellulose nitrate and camphor 2. a motion-picture film <a work…making its third appearance on celluloid — John McCarten> • celluloid adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 a transparent flammable plastic made from camphor and cellulose nitrate. 2 cinema film. Etymology: irreg. f. CELLULOSE

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Celluloid Cel"lu*loid` (s[e^]l"[-u]*loid), n. [Cellulose + -oid.] A substance composed essentially of gun cotton and camphor, and when pure resembling ivory in texture and color, but variously colored to imitate coral, tortoise shell, amber, malachite, etc. It is used in the manufacture of jewelry and many small articles, as combs, brushes, collars, and cuffs; -- originally called xylonite.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

You can use celluloid to refer to films and the cinema. King's works seem to lack something on celluloid. N-UNCOUNT: oft N n