true crime

noun

A nonfiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.

“It's never a true crime unless it's committed with style.”

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Meanings

nountrue crime (countable and uncountable, plural true crimes)

plural true crimes

  1. uncountableA nonfiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people.
  2. countableA particular work of this genre.
  3. countableuncountableUsed other than figuratively or idiomatically: see true, crime.

    It's never a true crime unless it's committed with style.

Translations

Finnish todellisia rikoksia käsittelevä
  • todellisia rikoksia käsittelevänonfiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime
Polish kryminał oparty na faktach
  • kryminał oparty na faktachnonfiction literary and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime
Cite this entry
APA

true crime. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/true%20crime

MLA

“true crime.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/true%20crime. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “true crime,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/true%20crime.

Source: true crime on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.