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show card

show card

1 4.6
A poster that advertises a play or concert
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : tarjeta de espectáculo
  • The theater displayed a colorful show card to attract more audience to the play.

Examples

  • Show cards with preseason, mid-season, end-season, and post-season printed on them.

    Academic text (2003)
  • On the wall, there were vintage show cards advertising classic movies and concerts.

  • She collected various show cards from different events, showcasing her love for entertainment.

Synonyms

show bill
vsshow card
  • Archaic
5.8

A poster that tells people about a play or musical

is used for many entertainment types not only plays
theatrical poster
vsshow card
3.6

A large printed picture that advertises a play

is broader and covers various entertainment events and smaller printed items

How Noticeable

billboard
  • US
167 1.3
poster
304 1.0
show card
  • Archaic
1 4.6
flyer
141 2.0

Surface Forms

show card singular
show cards plural

Morphology

show + card

The meaning 'a poster or card used to advertise a show' is directly compositional from 'show' (a staged event) + 'card' (a small card or poster), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a card relating to a show. This follows normal English compounding patterns and is cross-linguistically transparent, although contextual cues (advertising/display) may be needed to specify the exact function.

Etymology

Show card comes from the simple image of a small card placed in a shop or outside a theater to 'show' a show to people passing by. That's why show card means 'a poster used to advertise a show'.