screen

SKREEN/skɹiːn/

Pluralscreens

Verbscreens, screening, screened

29 meanings of screen

Practice

1
display panelnouncountable
The part of a phone, TV, or computer where pictures and words show up.
Like a window where all the pictures and words from a device show up.
My phone screen cracked when I dropped it.
Turn down the brightness on your screen at night.
UsageSay on the screen: the words on my screen.
Similardisplay, monitor
2
film and TVnoununcountable
Movies or television as a kind of art or business, often called the big screen or the small screen.
The old comic book hero is coming back to the big screen next summer.
He acted on the small screen for years before he got his first movie role.
UsageSay the big screen for movies and the small screen for TV.
Similarfilm, cinema
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3
projection surfacenouncountable
The surface that a movie or set of slides is projected onto.
Like a big white sheet that the moving pictures land on.
The movie screen at the old theater was huge.
We projected the photos onto a white screen.
Note
4
show a filmverbtransitive
To show a movie or program to the public.
Like putting a picture up on a wall for everyone to see.
They will screen the new movie this weekend.
The festival screens short films from new directors.
UsageOften is screened or was screened at a festival.
Similarshow, air, broadcast, present
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5
check for diseaseverbtransitive
To test people or samples to find out if a disease or harmful substance is present.
Like checking each apple in a basket to find the bad ones.
Doctors screen newborns for several rare conditions.
The clinic screens blood donors for infections.
UsageSay screen someone for a disease.
Similartest, examine
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6
verbtransitive
To look closely at people or things to decide if they are safe, good enough, or allowed to go through.
Guards screen every bag at the door of the stadium.
All the new workers were screened before they started the job.
Usagescreen out means remove; screen for means look for: screen out weak applicants.
Similarvet, check, inspect
7
nouncountable
Everything you see shown on a computer at one time: the words, pictures, and colors.
Like a page in a book: but the words and pictures can change in an instant.
A screen of data scrolled by too fast to read.
The screen refreshed to show the latest scores.
Similarview
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8
barrier panelnouncountable
A panel or low wall used to divide a space, hide things from view, or provide shelter.
Like a wall you can move to hide things behind it.
They put a screen around the bed in the hospital.
A folding screen hid the messy corner of the room.
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9
wire meshnoununcountable
Woven wire material that keeps animals and large pieces out but lets air, liquids, and small pieces through.
Like a tiny metal net: small things slip through, but big things get stuck.
Dad stapled a piece of screen over the hole in the window to keep the mosquitoes out.
A square of screen over the drain catches the leaves but lets the rainwater run through.
Similarmesh
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10
verbtransitive
To hide or protect something by putting cover in front of it.
Like holding up an umbrella to keep the rain off you.
Dense hedges screen the garden from the street.
A high wall screens the courtyard from view.
UsageSay screen something from view.
Similarshield, hide, conceal, shelter, protect
Oppositeexpose, reveal
11
nouncountable
A test that checks a person or a sample for a certain thing, such as a drug or an illness.
Like checking each apple in a basket to find the bad ones.
The doctor ordered a blood screen to check for the infection.
Every new player goes through a quick health screen.
UsageUsually with a word in front: a drug screen, a blood screen.
Note
12
print stencilnouncountable
A frame holding fine mesh used to push ink onto cloth or paper.
Like a net with a pattern cut into it that lets ink through in just the right spots.
The artist cleaned the screen before printing each color.
She pulled red ink through the screen to print the logo on the shirt.
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13
nouncountable
A frame of thin wire or plastic net in a window or door. It lets air in but keeps insects out.
There's a hole in the kitchen screen, and flies keep getting in.
We leave the windows open at night because the screens keep the mosquitoes out.
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Less common meanings

14
check callsverbtransitive
To check who is calling or what a call is about before deciding whether to answer the phone.
Like checking who is at the door before you open it.
I always screen my calls when I don't know the number.
She screens every call to avoid telemarketers.
Note
15
censorverbtransitive
To hide or remove information so that people cannot see it.
Like covering some words with black ink so no one can read them.
Army censors screen every letter and black out place names.
Censors screened the news so no one heard about the defeat.
UsageScreened can also mean shown, like a film. Say censored to be clear.
Similarcensor, suppress, withhold, redact
Oppositedisclose, reveal, release
Note
16
cinema roomnouncountable
One of the separate rooms in a movie theater where a film is shown.
Like one of several rooms in a building, each showing a different movie.
The new film is playing on screen four tonight.
This multiplex has twelve screens under one roof.
UsageOften with a number: on screen four.
Similarauditorium, theater
17
game sectionnouncountable
One separate area of a video game that you move through before reaching the next.
Like rooms in a maze: you finish one before reaching the next.
You have to beat every enemy on this screen to move on.
The game has fifty screens to explore.
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18
fit with meshverbtransitive
To put a screen on or around something, such as a window or porch.
Like adding a net over a window to block bugs.
They decided to screen the porch to keep out mosquitoes.
We screened all the windows before summer.
19
siftverbtransitive
To pass something through a mesh to take out the bigger pieces.
Like pouring soup through a net to catch the big pieces.
Workers screen the sand to remove stones.
The machine screens the gravel into different sizes.
Similarsieve, sift, filter
20
a pick (sports)nouncountable
A move where a player stands in the way to stop a defender reaching a teammate.
Like standing in a doorway so a friend behind you can get away.
She set a screen so her teammate could shoot.
Defenders struggled to get past the screen.
Similarpick
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21
verbtransitive or intransitive
To stand in the way and block a defender so a teammate can get free.
Like blocking a doorway so a friend can run past.
Centers usually screen for the point guard.
He screened hard and his teammate slipped free.
Note
22
short pass (football)nounabbreviationellipsis
Short for screen pass. It is a short pass thrown behind blockers in football.
The quarterback threw a quick screen to the running back.
They ran a screen on third down.
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23
disguisenounfigurativelycountable
Something used to hide the truth or cover up what is really happening.
Like a curtain that hides what is behind it.
The charity turned out to be a screen for moving stolen money.
He used his quiet office job as a screen to hide his real plans.
UsageSay a screen for something, or behind a screen of something.
Similarfront, cover, facade, mask, cloak
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24
stone sievenouncountable
A frame holding a mesh of bars or wires that sorts stones by size, letting smaller pieces fall through.
Like a kitchen sieve that lets flour through but keeps the lumps.
Workers shoveled gravel onto the screen to sort out the big rocks.
The screen let the fine sand fall through and held back the stones.
Similarsieve
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25
safety nettingnouncountable
A net that keeps balls and bats from hitting people watching the game.
Like a net at the front that catches anything flying toward the crowd.
A foul ball bounced off the screen behind home plate.
Fans behind the screen never worry about flying bats.
Similarnet, netting
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26
nounarchaicScotland
A large scarf worn around the neck or shoulders.
Note
27
verb
To use a computer method to search through many chemicals and find ones that might attach to a target like a protein.
28
noun
A large white board or sheet placed at the edge of a cricket field to help the batter see the ball.
29
noun
A group of ships that travel with a more valuable ship to protect it.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of screen apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It came from an old French word for a firescreen, which came from Dutch and older Germanic words meaning shelter or covering. Some think it instead came from a Dutch word meaning barrier.

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Screen derives from an Old French word meaning firescreen. en.wiktionary.org
The French word derives through Dutch from older Germanic words meaning shelter or covering. en.wiktionary.org
An alternative etymology derives the French word from an Old Dutch word meaning barrier. en.wiktionary.org