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biopic

biopic

12 3.6
A film about the life of a real person
  • noun
  • /ˈbaɪəˌpɪk/
translation icon : película biográfica
  • The biopic J. Edgar showcases the complexities of the FBI chief's life and career.

I think actually there's a biopic in in the works, which we'll see.

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Examples

  • She watched a captivating biopic about the famous singer Amy Winehouse's struggles.

  • Just another biopic about a weird musician.

  • The idea that people would still want to see a biopic of her life is something that should be appreciated.

    Blog text (16)
  • Brian Grazer has been trying to get a James Brown biopic off the ground for about the last decade.

    Blog text (11)
  • Some of my favorite movies are biopics: Selena, The Temptations, What's Love Got to Do With It.

    Blog text (16)
  • The movie in question is Creation, a biopic about Charles Darwin starring Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly.

    Academic text (2009)
  • His latest film is a biopic featuring the life and achievements of the renowned artist Frida Kahlo.

How Accurate

true story
75 2.7
docudrama
  • Literature
5 6.4
biopic
12 3.6
fiction
271 2.0

Surface Forms

biopic singular
biopics plural

Morphology

biopic = bio + pic (semi-transparent) = bio + pic

The word is a clipped blend of 'bio' and 'pic', ultimately from 'biographical picture', so the components hint at the meaning but the film sense is lexicalized.

Etymology

The word biopic is a modern blend of bio- ('life') and pic short for picture. So a biopic is a 'life picture' and means a film that shows the life of a real person.