Biopics

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A genre of films or television programs that dramatize the lives of real individuals through a narrative format
2. Cinematic portrayals that depict the personal experiences and achievements of historical or contemporary figures
3. Biographical motion pictures that illustrate significant events and relationships in a person's life, often highlighting their struggles and triumphs

Etymology: "Biopics" is the plural of "biopic," a clipping of "biographical picture." The first half, "bio," is short for "biographical," and "pic" is the familiar slang for a film, shortened from "picture." Put together, the two halves name a film built around the life of a real person. The word is a modern blend of ordinary English pieces rather than a classical coinage, so its story is one of trimming rather than invention: a long phrase worn down to two quick syllables by everyday speech. Nothing in the word's makeup points to a single inventor or a specific date, and the ordinary pieces it uses are old enough that the clipping itself is the most notable step in its history.

Synonyms: biographical films, biographical movies, life stories