blockbuster

C1 Topic:Film & Television

US /ˈblɑkˌbʌs.tɚ/ UK /ˈblɒkˌbʌs.tə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #22644

Meanings

1

noun
A book, film, or show that is very popular and successful.

The studio's latest blockbuster broke box office records.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a book, film, or show that... smash hitmegahit

Word family

Forms blockbusters

Derived forms blockbusterishblockbusterizebonkbusterknockbustermegablockbustermockbusternonblockbusterschlockbuster

Related forms blockblockbustbustdambuster

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

blockbuster movie
a film that is extremely commercially successful and widely watched

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From block + buster, referring originally to aerial bombs capable of destroying a whole block of buildings.

Topics

Film & Television Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# blockbuster

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈblɑkˌbʌs.tɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈblɒkˌbʌs.tə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 22644

## Meanings
1. A book, film, or show that is very popular and successful.

## Examples
- The studio's latest blockbuster broke box office records.

## Derived Forms
- blockbusterish
- blockbusterize
- bonkbuster
- knockbuster
- megablockbuster
- mockbuster
- nonblockbuster
- schlockbuster

## Related Forms
- block
- blockbust
- bust
- dambuster

## Etymology
From block + buster, referring originally to aerial bombs capable of destroying a whole block of buildings.

## AI Etymology
Blockbuster is from block + buster, referring originally to aerial bombs capable of destroying a whole block of buildings. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it means a book, film, or show that is very popular and successful. Related forms include block, blockbust, bust, dambuster. Derived formations include blockbusterish, blockbusterize, bonkbuster, knockbuster, megablockbuster.

## Topics
- Film & Television
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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