flat-screen

IPA/ˌflæt ˈskriːn/
IPA/ˌflæt ˈskriːn/

flat-screen — noun

1. a television or computer monitor that is very thin and light compared with older

1.nounB1
Definition

a television or computer monitor that is very thin and light compared with older types because it uses modern display technology, making it possible to place it on a wall or a small stand

Example

Ari bought a new flat-screen for the living room to watch the World Cup.

flat-screen as a home television purchase

The office replaced all old monitors with flat-screens to save desk space.

flat-screens as computer monitor replacements

Common collocations
  • flat-screen TV
  • flat-screen monitor
  • flat-screen television
  • flat-screen display
  • flat-screen panel
Synonyms
  • LCD

    refers specifically to a type of display technology rather than the shape; often used interchangeably but less precise

  • LED TV

    a specific subtype of flat-screen using LED backlighting; common in marketing but narrower in meaning

  • plasma

    an older flat-screen technology no longer widely manufactured; now rare in stores

Antonyms
  • CRT

    cathode ray tube — the old bulky type of television or monitor with a deep casing

  • curved screen

    a newer display design where the screen surface is slightly curved inward rather than completely flat

Grammar Patterns

flat-screen + noun (modifier: flat-screen TV)

a/an + adjective + flat-screen

Usage Note

The hyphenated form flat-screen is standard when used as a noun. When used as a modifier before another noun, the hyphen is still kept: a flat-screen TV, a flat-screen monitor. This word is not used for tablets or smartphones.

Common Mistakes

I bought a new flat screen for my bedroom.
I bought a new flat-screen for my bedroom.
The compound noun is always written with a hyphen.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Flat-screen is a general term for any thin television or monitor, regardless of the technology inside. LCD (liquid crystal display) and LED TV are specific display technologies that happen to be flat, but a flat-screen could also use other technologies. Plasma screens were an early flat type that used gas cells, but they are no longer common. In everyday conversation, people often use 'flat-screen' to mean any modern TV, while 'LCD' is more technical. For example: 'Let's buy a new flat-screen for the game room' (general) vs. 'This LCD panel has better colour accuracy' (technical, computer use).

flat-screen ↗LCD ↗LED TVplasma ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

A modern compound formed from 'flat' (meaning level, even — from Old English 'flett') and 'screen' (a display surface — from Middle English 'screne', borrowed from Old French 'escren', meaning a shield or partition). The term became common in the 1990s and 2000s as LCD and plasma display technology replaced the bulky cathode-ray tube (CRT) televisions and monitors that had dominated since the mid-20th century.