shoot-'em-up
UK[ˌʃuːt əm ˈʌp]US[ˌʃuːt əm ˈʌp]
n
a type of video game in which the player controls a character or vehicle that shoots large numbers of enemies.
Etymology
the term "shoot-'em-up" is a vivid colloquialism originating in american english during the mid-20th century. it directly mimics the imperative phrase "shoot them up," a command heard in western films and action genres, where "them" is contracted to "'em." the phrase was initially used to describe a subgenre of action cinema before being decisively applied to video games in the late 1970s and 1980s. its adoption into gaming terminology perfectly captures the core mechanic of these games: relentless shooting against waves of opponents, preserving the energetic and informal tone of its cinematic roots.
Analysis
this is a fixed idiomatic phrase adopted as a compound noun. it is not productively formed from separable morphemes in the modern sense.
Examples
i spent the afternoon playing a classic arcade shoot-'em-up.
the game is a fast-paced shoot-'em-up set in a science fiction universe.
he prefers strategic role-playing games over mindless shoot-'em-ups.