flashback

C1 Topic:Literature & Storytelling

US /ˈflæʃ.bæk/ See IPA manual

Freq #18744

Meanings

1

noun
A part of a film, book, or play that shows an earlier event, interrupting the main story.

The movie uses a flashback to show the hero's childhood.
2

noun
A sudden, vivid memory of a past event, often a frightening one, that feels like it is happening again.

He still has flashbacks to the night of the accident.
3

verb
To suddenly remember a past event so vividly that it feels real again.

She flashed back to her first day at school.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a part of a film, book, or... analepsis

3 verb · to suddenly remember a past... flash back

Word family

Forms flashbacks

Derived forms antiflashback

Etymology

From flash + back.

Topics

Literature & Storytelling Film & Television Entertainment & Leisure

External links

# flashback

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈflæʃ.bæk/
**Frequency rank:** 18744

## Meanings
1. A part of a film, book, or play that shows an earlier event, interrupting the main story.
2. A sudden, vivid memory of a past event, often a frightening one, that feels like it is happening again.
3. To suddenly remember a past event so vividly that it feels real again.

## Examples
- The movie uses a flashback to show the hero's childhood.
- He still has flashbacks to the night of the accident.
- She flashed back to her first day at school.

## Derived Forms
- antiflashback

## Etymology
From flash + back.

## AI Etymology
Flashback is from flash + back. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. In present-day use, it can mean a part of a film, book, or play that shows an earlier event, interrupting the main story, or a sudden, vivid memory of a past event, often a frightening one, that feels like it is happening again. Derived formations include antiflashback.

## Topics
- Literature & Storytelling
- Film & Television
- Entertainment & Leisure

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