hollywood

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These words all describe something eye-catching or striking, but they differ in register and connotation. 'Hollywood' (adjective) is informal and often critical, implying that something is unrealistically showy — like a film plot that is 'too Hollywood to believe.' 'Glamorous' focuses on beauty, wealth, and luxury without the negative nuance of fakery; a 'glamorous party' is simply elegant and exciting. 'Dramatic' is more neutral and broader: a dramatic sunset is simply striking, not contrived. 'Over-the-top' is similarly informal but louder, emphasising excess and exaggeration ('the decorations were completely over-the-top'). 'Cinematic' carries a more technical, appreciative tone — a 'cinematic shot' is visually impressive in a film-like way, without the criticism of unreality. For example: 'The proposal was cinematic, with the city lights behind them,' versus 'The proposal was so Hollywood — he arrived by helicopter with a string quartet.'

Common collocations

Etymology

The area now known as Hollywood was named in the 1880s by Harvey Wilcox, a Kansas prohibitionist who bought land in the Cahuenga Valley. His wife Daéida is said to have chosen the name after meeting a woman on a train who spoke of her summer home called 'Hollywood.' The name may also have been influenced by the California holly (Heteromeles arbutifolia), a shrub with red berries that grew abundantly in the hills. The film industry arrived in the early 1900s — directors came west from New York and New Jersey to escape Thomas Edison's strict patent control, and by the 1920s Hollywood had become the global centre of the motion-picture business. Today the name, with a capital H, refers both to the Los Angeles neighbourhood and, by extension, to the entire American film industry and its cultural influence.