Noir
noun
A genre in film and literature characterized by tough, cynical characters, bleak and pessimistic settings, and dark situations.
The film "Casablanca" is considered a classic example of film noir.
Often appears as...
- film noir
- noir detective
Usage tips
Academic,Literary
adjective
Black in color, specifically in relation to French art, literature, film, or fashion.
She wore a noir dress to the event.
Often appears as...
- noir dress
- noir style
noun
A type of grape used in the production of wine, particularly red wine.
Pinot noir is a common variety for red wines.
Often appears as...
- pinot noir
- noir wine
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Black coffee, without any cream or milk.
He ordered a café noir to drink.
Often appears as...
- café noir
- noir coffee
noun
A genre in film and literature characterized by tough, cynical characters, bleak and pessimistic settings, and dark situations.
The film "Casablanca" is considered a classic example of film noir.
Often appears as...
- film noir
- noir detective
Usage tips
Academic,Literary
adjective
Black in color, specifically in relation to French art, literature, film, or fashion.
She wore a noir dress to the event.
Often appears as...
- noir dress
- noir style
noun
A type of grape used in the production of wine, particularly red wine.
Pinot noir is a common variety for red wines.
Often appears as...
- pinot noir
- noir wine
Usage tips
Technical
noun
Black coffee, without any cream or milk.
He ordered a café noir to drink.
Often appears as...
- café noir
- noir coffee
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imagery
Noir evokes visual styles with shadows and contrast, often in a crime setting.
His office had that noir look, dimly lit with vertical blinds.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Ambiguity
Noir stories often involve morally ambiguous situations and characters.
The noir protagonist walked a fine line between law and crime.
Pro Tip 3/3Historical Era
Film noir references historically to films of the 1940s-50s.
She loved the noir era of Hollywood with its stylish femme fatales.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imagery
Noir evokes visual styles with shadows and contrast, often in a crime setting.
His office had that noir look, dimly lit with vertical blinds.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Ambiguity
Noir stories often involve morally ambiguous situations and characters.
The noir protagonist walked a fine line between law and crime.
Pro Tip 3/3Historical Era
Film noir references historically to films of the 1940s-50s.
She loved the noir era of Hollywood with its stylish femme fatales.
Pro Tip 1/3Visual Imagery
Noir evokes visual styles with shadows and contrast, often in a crime setting.
His office had that noir look, dimly lit with vertical blinds.
Pro Tip 2/3Moral Ambiguity
Noir stories often involve morally ambiguous situations and characters.
The noir protagonist walked a fine line between law and crime.
Pro Tip 3/3Historical Era
Film noir references historically to films of the 1940s-50s.
She loved the noir era of Hollywood with its stylish femme fatales.
Never forget "Noir"
Humans forget easily. That's why you should download WordUp: Smart reminders, word games, AI practice, and much more!
Video examples
An ode to living on...
fire extinguishers, laws, pigeons, bottles of beer, lemons and light bulbs; Pinot noir and paracetamol; ghosts, mosquitoes, flamingos, flowers, the ukulele, elevators and cats, cat videos, the internet; iron beams, buildings and batteries, all ingenuity and bright ideas, all known life
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 280 PIPE...
birds obviously the small flock we saw just now was only about fifty maybe but they accumulate enormous flocks and they're migratory throughout the country they don't really go in a much further north on a proper migrant just sort of like a an altitude noir migrant if for
Video examples
Photographing the Real...
that with a camera here I have a glass window into this hi that's something that very few people get to see okay maybe I can use this special access I have to show bees in a new way so I was just trying stuff different lighting approaches noir s the traffic knowledge
Video examples
Behind the Scenes of...
something sophisticated and unique that didn't really venture into that traditional animation some of the inspirations the artists took for the animation in cosmos were graphic novels film noir you'll notice that there are a lot of heavy blacks heavy shadows in all
Video examples
A forgotten Space Age...
And they're rich in nutrients, such as oils and proteins, minerals and carbohydrates. And actually, microbes are already an integral part of our everyday lives. If you enjoy a glass of pinot noir on a Friday night, after a long, hard work week,
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 272 PIPE...
break out the streamers and me whatever else you happen to want to use it's a hyena look I ain't as I'm looking for but it's a hyena nevertheless I'll take what I can get at this point and sneak a pretty noir Corky I was hoping that they
Video examples
A Crash Course in...
people and I'm excited to try it and would it be like a chicken pepper pot lamb no well this here is a lubber pepper pot lover so we're talking like a one-ball like a noir Pig no this is a big rodent are you saying
Video examples
Amanda Bennett: We need...
dairy cattle, Dixieland jazz, film noir, and we did travel the country, and the world, and we did have a lot of kids. We followed my job, and it seemed like there was nothing that we couldn't do.
Video examples
If We Colonize the Moon,...
local psychologist our a dioxide food Ahmadis net a honcho Kamata sorry o casa good hey Josh Oklahoma Texas Fatiha seumas toka ma ma coo coo dhaba it's evil to quit or Steve noir and get some
Video examples
Vietnam POW Escape PIPE No...
clearing and I hit it my right hip right knee were badly banged up I had dispatched a number of the air America pilots under missions they're dropping ammunition in rice noir outpost
Video examples
An ode to living on...
fire extinguishers, laws, pigeons, bottles of beer, lemons and light bulbs; Pinot noir and paracetamol; ghosts, mosquitoes, flamingos, flowers, the ukulele, elevators and cats, cat videos, the internet; iron beams, buildings and batteries, all ingenuity and bright ideas, all known life
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 280 PIPE...
birds obviously the small flock we saw just now was only about fifty maybe but they accumulate enormous flocks and they're migratory throughout the country they don't really go in a much further north on a proper migrant just sort of like a an altitude noir migrant if for
Video examples
Photographing the Real...
that with a camera here I have a glass window into this hi that's something that very few people get to see okay maybe I can use this special access I have to show bees in a new way so I was just trying stuff different lighting approaches noir s the traffic knowledge
Video examples
Behind the Scenes of...
something sophisticated and unique that didn't really venture into that traditional animation some of the inspirations the artists took for the animation in cosmos were graphic novels film noir you'll notice that there are a lot of heavy blacks heavy shadows in all
Video examples
A forgotten Space Age...
And they're rich in nutrients, such as oils and proteins, minerals and carbohydrates. And actually, microbes are already an integral part of our everyday lives. If you enjoy a glass of pinot noir on a Friday night, after a long, hard work week,
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 272 PIPE...
break out the streamers and me whatever else you happen to want to use it's a hyena look I ain't as I'm looking for but it's a hyena nevertheless I'll take what I can get at this point and sneak a pretty noir Corky I was hoping that they
Video examples
A Crash Course in...
people and I'm excited to try it and would it be like a chicken pepper pot lamb no well this here is a lubber pepper pot lover so we're talking like a one-ball like a noir Pig no this is a big rodent are you saying
Video examples
Amanda Bennett: We need...
dairy cattle, Dixieland jazz, film noir, and we did travel the country, and the world, and we did have a lot of kids. We followed my job, and it seemed like there was nothing that we couldn't do.
Video examples
If We Colonize the Moon,...
local psychologist our a dioxide food Ahmadis net a honcho Kamata sorry o casa good hey Josh Oklahoma Texas Fatiha seumas toka ma ma coo coo dhaba it's evil to quit or Steve noir and get some
Video examples
Vietnam POW Escape PIPE No...
clearing and I hit it my right hip right knee were badly banged up I had dispatched a number of the air America pilots under missions they're dropping ammunition in rice noir outpost
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Margo Jefferson
American Critic
Sometimes it feels as if the artist hasn't done the real work of engaging with the material. Film noir can't just play off looks and attitudes. A thriller needs a dose of genuine suspense. It does not have to be literal, but it does have to feel genuine. Otherwise the artist is just leeching off the form.
Quote examples
Morgan Neville
American Producer
Sometimes we have our perfect foils, or you can call them their bete noir: the person who brings out both the best and the worst in you because you disagree with them so completely. Yet, you understand and respect them enough to give it your all.
Quote examples
Maureen Dowd
American Journalist
I'm into clothes, but in a way that's related to wanting to walk into a film noir movie. You know, I love to go to vintage stores, but mostly it's stuff that I don't have anywhere to wear... I don't have the life that goes with the clothes.
Quote examples
Alexander McCall Smith
Scottish Writer
Every novel presents a slice of life. A noir policier for example presents one slice, one that perhaps addresses social dysfunction or some sort of pathology, while mine present a slice that is more upbeat and affirmative.
Quote examples
Brian De Palma
American Director
But, number one, I think traditional noir doesn't work in contemporary storytelling because we don't live in that world anymore.
Quote examples
Lesley Sharp
English Actress
You're immediately in a world of noir when you're watching shows like 'The Bridge' or 'The Killing.
Quote examples
Kim Jee-woon
South Korean Director
I've been thinking of doing a sci-fi thriller or a sci-fi noir, if that's possible.
Quote examples
Francis Lawrence
American Producer
I've been a fan of noir films since I was in high school.
Quote examples
Robert Rodriguez
American Director
Yeah, I was always a big fan of noir.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
I love noir, quite obviously.
Quote examples
Margo Jefferson
American Critic
Sometimes it feels as if the artist hasn't done the real work of engaging with the material. Film noir can't just play off looks and attitudes. A thriller needs a dose of genuine suspense. It does not have to be literal, but it does have to feel genuine. Otherwise the artist is just leeching off the form.
Quote examples
Morgan Neville
American Producer
Sometimes we have our perfect foils, or you can call them their bete noir: the person who brings out both the best and the worst in you because you disagree with them so completely. Yet, you understand and respect them enough to give it your all.
Quote examples
Maureen Dowd
American Journalist
I'm into clothes, but in a way that's related to wanting to walk into a film noir movie. You know, I love to go to vintage stores, but mostly it's stuff that I don't have anywhere to wear... I don't have the life that goes with the clothes.
Quote examples
Alexander McCall Smith
Scottish Writer
Every novel presents a slice of life. A noir policier for example presents one slice, one that perhaps addresses social dysfunction or some sort of pathology, while mine present a slice that is more upbeat and affirmative.
Quote examples
Brian De Palma
American Director
But, number one, I think traditional noir doesn't work in contemporary storytelling because we don't live in that world anymore.
Quote examples
Lesley Sharp
English Actress
You're immediately in a world of noir when you're watching shows like 'The Bridge' or 'The Killing.
Quote examples
Kim Jee-woon
South Korean Director
I've been thinking of doing a sci-fi thriller or a sci-fi noir, if that's possible.
Quote examples
Francis Lawrence
American Producer
I've been a fan of noir films since I was in high school.
Quote examples
Robert Rodriguez
American Director
Yeah, I was always a big fan of noir.
Quote examples
Laura van den Berg
American Writer
I love noir, quite obviously.
Example 1 of 10
WordUp Chrome Extension
As you browse the web instantly look up words you don’t know.
Get Chrome Extension