cut-in

noun

A section of film or audio inserted into another sequence.

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Meanings

nouncut-in (plural cut-ins)

plural cut-ins

  1. broadcastingA section of film or audio inserted into another sequence.

    Inasmuch as leaders and cut-ins use up film a foot to a word, they should be resorted to only when absolutely necessary. For the producer has sufficient expense in his company and plant, without adding to it in film for cut-ins and leaders.

    1916, Carl Charlton, How to Write Photoplays, page 23
  2. broadlyvideo gamesA visual sequence focusing on a character's face or body while they perform a special move.
  3. The situation where the performer of a musical work receives royalties for each performance, despite not having composed it.

    One group was understandably upset by all the royalty cut-ins — the songwriters.

    1994, Kerry Segrave, Payola in the Music Industry: A History, 1880-1991, page 21
    1 more example

    "My collaborators are having their convention in Cleveland this week," was the rueful joke among real songwriters who were seeing their royalties diluted by cut-ins.

    2012, Gary Rosen, Unfair to Genius: The Strange and Litigious Career of Ira B. Arnstein, page 138
  4. An instance of pulling in front of another vehicle in traffic.

Synonyms & antonyms

noun(broadcasting) a local announcement inserted into a network program

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noun(film) a still picture that is introduced and that interrupts the action of a film

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Also see

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

cut-in. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut-in

MLA

“cut-in.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut-in. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “cut-in,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/cut-in.

Source: cut-in on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.