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genre

American  
[zhahn-ruh, zhahn-ruh] / ˈʒɑn rə, ˈʒɑ̃ rə /

noun

plural

genres

  1. a class or category of artistic endeavor having a particular form, content, technique, or the like.

    the genre of epic poetry; the genre of symphonic music.

  2. Fine Arts.

    1. paintings in which scenes of everyday life form the subject matter.

    2. a realistic style of painting using such subject matter.

  3. genus; kind; sort; style.

adjective

  1. Fine Arts. of or relating to genre.

  2. of or relating to a distinctive literary type.

genre British  
/ ˈʒɑːnrə /

noun

    1. kind, category, or sort, esp of literary or artistic work

    2. ( as modifier )

      genre fiction

  2. a category of painting in which domestic scenes or incidents from everyday life are depicted

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
genre Cultural  

  1. The kind or type of a work of art, from the French, meaning “kind” or “genus.” Literary genres include the novel and the sonnet. Musical genres include the concerto and the symphony. Film genres include Westerns and horror movies.

Etymology

Origin of genre

First recorded in 1760–70; from French: “kind, sort”; gender 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Thirty years ago, a game named Resident Evil ushered in the survival horror genre - a blend of nerve-shredding tension, elaborate puzzles, and intricate inventory management.

From BBC

This has resulted in some of their most sonically and visually impressive work — with styles and genres consistently shifting — but also asks the listener to be willing to evolve with them.

From Los Angeles Times

Branded as "danmei" - or indulgence in beauty - the genre is part of a beloved lineage of gay romance that has long catered to female fantasy.

From BBC

Neve Campbell helped cement the “Scream” franchise’s legacy in the horror genre, which is why stepping away from the sixth movie was a difficult decision.

From Los Angeles Times

Samaras’s adroitly manipulated Polaroids were early examples of a genre for which such artists as Cindy Sherman and Chuck Close are also celebrated.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.