Types of story or play
adaptation noun
a film, TV programme etc that has been made from a book or play
allegory noun
a story, play, or poem in which the events and characters are used as symbols in order to express a moral, religious, or political idea
anecdote noun
a story that you tell people about something interesting or funny that has happened to you
black comedy noun
a play, film, or story that deals in a humorous way with unpleasant aspects of life such as illness and death
cautionary tale noun
a story or series of events in which something bad happens that you can use as a warning for the future
classic noun
a song, book, play, television programme etc that is very good and has been popular and had a lot of influence for a long time
cock and bull story noun
a story that is silly and difficult to believe
comedy noun
a funny film, play or television programme
comedy of manners noun
a play, film, television programme etc that shows the behaviour of people belonging to a particular social class in a humorous way
detective noun
a detective story or film is one in which a detective tries to solve a crime
drama noun
a play for the theatre, television, or radio
epic noun
a long book or film about famous and exciting people and events from the past
fable noun
a traditional story, usually about animals, that teaches a moral lesson
faction noun
a story, film, or television programme that is a mixture of real and imaginary events or people
fairy tale noun
a traditional children's story in which magic things happen
fanfic noun
stories for a television series written by people who watch the series regularly. The stories are published on the Internet.
fantasy noun
a story that shows a lot of imagination and is very different from real life
farce noun
a play or film in which people get involved in silly or unlikely situations that are intended to make you laugh
farce noun
the style of writing and acting used for farces
fiction noun
books and stories about imaginary events and people. Books that give facts about real events, things, or people are called non-fiction
fiction noun
a report, story, or explanation that is not true
folk tale noun
an old traditional story
follow-up noun
a book, film, or article that is based on or develops an earlier one
fringe theatre noun
plays, usually performed in small theatres, that are not traditional in their style or subject matter
full-length adjective
a full-length book, film etc is the normal length, not shorter
ghost story noun
a frightening story about ghosts
hit noun
a film, play, or show that is very successful and popular
horror noun
books and films that are intended to frighten people
horror story noun
a story that is intended to frighten people
legend noun
an old story about famous people and events in the past. Legends are not usually true
legend noun
these old stories considered as a group
life history noun
a description of the things that have happened in someone's life
life story noun
a description of all the things that have happened to someone during their life
masque noun
a type of play with poetry, music, dance, and songs that was popular in the 16th and 17th centuries
melodrama noun
a story, play, or film in which the characters behave in an extreme emotional way, with the bad characters being very bad, the good characters being very good etc
mime noun
a play performed using mime
musical noun
a play or film in which there are a lot of songs
mystery noun
a story, film, or play in which events take place that are not explained until the end, especially a crime such as murder
mystery play noun
a play from the Middle Ages about a story in the Bible
myth noun
an ancient traditional story about gods, heroes, and magic
myth noun
ancient traditional stories
mythology noun
a collection of ancient myths, especially those of a particular country or religion
narrative noun
a story, or an account of something that has happened
nativity play noun
a play telling the story of the birth of Jesus Christ, usually performed by children at Christmas
non-fiction noun
writing that is about real people and events, not imaginary ones
novel noun
a long written story about imaginary or partly imaginary characters and events
oral history noun
stories about life and events in the past that older people tell younger people
panto noun
a pantomime for children
pantomime noun
in the UK, a play for children that makes them laugh, based on a traditional story and usually performed at Christmas
pantomime noun
mime
parable noun
a simple story with a moral or religious purpose, especially one told by Jesus Christ
parody noun
a literary or musical work that copies a serious work in a humorous way
Passion play noun
a play about the death of Jesus Christ according to the Bible, often performed at Easter
phantasy noun
an old spelling of 'fantasy'
play noun
a piece of writing intended to be performed by actors in a theatre or on television or the radio
prequel noun
a book or film about events that happened before the events in another book or film that was written or made earlier
psychodrama noun
a play or film about people's feelings
reminiscence noun
stories or thoughts of past experiences
romp noun
a film, play, or book that is lively and enjoyable, and not intended to be serious
saga noun
a story about what happens to a group of characters over a long period of time
saga noun
a long story written in Norway or Iceland during the Middle Ages
satire noun
a play, book, film etc that uses this humour
screenplay noun
a story someone writes for a film
sequel noun
a book, film, play etc that continues the story of an earlier one
serial noun
a story that is broadcast or published in a series of separate parts
shocker noun
a book, film, or play about something shocking
short story noun
a short piece of fiction (=writing about an imaginary situation)
story noun
an account of something that happened. Stories can be imaginary, traditional, or true
story noun
an account of something, for example someone's life
story noun
the events in a book, film etc
sub-plot noun
a story in a novel or film that is separate from the main story and is not as important as the main story
tableau noun
a form of silent theatre in which a group of actors stand or sit in certain positions to create a picture of a historical scene
tale noun
a story about imaginary events or people
tall story noun
something that someone tells you that sounds so exciting, dangerous, unpleasant etc that you do not believe it is true. The American word is tall tale.
tearjerker noun
a sad film or story that makes you cry
thriller noun
a book, play, or film that tells an exciting story, especially about something dangerous like a crime
tragedy noun
a play in which people suffer or die, especially one in which the main character dies at the end
tragedy noun
plays of this type
tragicomedy noun
a play, story, or situation that is both sad and humorous
trilogy noun
a series of three books, films, or plays
turkey noun
a film or play that is very unsuccessful
two-hander noun
a play written for two actors
urban myth noun
an imaginary story about modern life that many people believe really happened
weepie noun
a film, play, novel etc that has emotional scenes that make people cry
weepy noun
another spelling of weepie
yarn noun
a long story with a lot of exciting details
abridgement noun
a book, play etc that has been made shorter but keeps its basic structure and meaning
spine-chiller noun
a story, book, film etc that is very frightening and spine-chilling
boy meets girl phrase
a typical romantic situation or story about two people falling in love
old chestnut phrase
a story or joke that has been repeated so often that everyone is bored with it