biopic
UK[ˈbaɪ.əʊ.pɪk]US[ˈbaɪ.oʊ.pɪk]
n
a film that tells the story of the life of a real person, especially someone well-known.
Morpheme Breakdown
bio
pic
bio
life
pic
picture
Etymology
the word biopic is a modern portmanteau, a blend of two independent english words: 'biography' and 'picture'. the first element, 'bio-', is derived from ancient greek 'bios', meaning 'life' or 'mode of life', which entered english via latin. the second element, 'pic', is a 20th-century informal clipping of 'picture', itself from latin 'pictura'. the term emerged in the 1940s within the film industry, logically combining the concept of a life story ('bio') with a motion picture ('pic') to succinctly label a genre dedicated to cinematic biographies.
Analysis
Structure: bio (life) + pic (picture)
- bio: from greek 'bios', meaning 'life'. functions as a combining form denoting life or living organisms.
- pic: a colloquial shortening of 'picture', from latin 'pictura' (the act of painting, a painting). functions as a noun meaning a photograph, film, or image.
Examples
the studio is producing a biopic about the early years of the famous scientist.
her performance in the musician's biopic earned her an academy award nomination.
critics praised the film for being a thoughtful biopic that avoided sensationalism.