silver screen

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silver screen (plural silver screens)

1. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?)(historical) An early type of cinema screen which had a coating of silver or another shiny metal.
2. Any cinema screen onto which films are projected.
3. (idiomatic, by extension) Movies, or that which is related to movies or cinema.

   Stars of the stage and the silver screen gathered for the awards ceremony.

   • 1984, George Michael, Andrew Ridgeley, “Careless Whisper”:

     As the music dies, something in your eyes / Calls to mind a silver screen and all its sad goodbyes

Often in the phrase on the silver screen, used identically to big screen.

• big screen
• silver sheet (dated)