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thriller

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈθɹɪ.lə/ (UK); /ˈθɹɪ.ləɹ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from thrill and -er.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A sensational story or play: 1889.[2][4][3]

Semantic evolution

Slang of about the same time also used thrill for a book giving thrilling sensations (1886).[2] Thriller writers are named from 1925,[4] and thrillerdom, the world of thrillers, is from 1922.[4]

Timeline

  • 1886 – a thrill, a sensational tale.[2]
  • 1889 – a thriller.[2][4]
  • 1922 – thrillerdom.[4]
  • 1925 – thriller writer.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A book, film or play about crime, mystery or espionage, full of excitement and suspense.
  2. A person or thing that thrills.
  • thrill
  • thrilling

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press