matinee idol

noun

: a handsome male performer

Examples of matinee idol in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With his matinee idol looks, Withers seems destined to follow the hero's journey on screen. — Neda Ulaby, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025 Matter—slim, dark-haired, attired in a dark blue zip-up sweater and matinee idol handsome—is a natural entertainer who savored every moment holding a mic. — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026 Do not let the dashing green velvet suit, the yellow leather gloves, the silk cravat or the pencil-thin mustache, a tonsorial touch that suggests the matinee idols of yesteryear, fool you. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 However, Green's also developing as something of a solo matinee idol and relatable singer-songwriter who has sold nearly 20 million singles in a decade. — Marcus K. Dowling, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for matinee idol

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of matinee idol was in 1897

Rhymes for matinee idol

See All Rhymes for matinee idol

Browse Nearby Words

matinee
matinee idol
matiness
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Cite this Entry

“Matinee idol.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/matinee%20idol. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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