Meaning & use
a pinup
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Meanings
nouncountableinformal
A picture of an attractive person, often a model or celebrity, that is put on a wall or in a magazine.
Grammar: Countable: a pinup, two pinups. Often used before another noun: a pinup poster, a pinup girl.
Patterns
- a pinup of someone
- a pinup poster
- a pinup girl
He had a pinup of a famous actress on his bedroom wall.
The magazine published pinups of popular singers.
She posed for a pinup calendar.
nouncountableinformal
A person who is often photographed in an attractive or glamorous way and is admired by many.
Grammar: Countable: she is a pinup, they are pinups. Often used with 'girl' or 'boy': a pinup girl.
Patterns
- a pinup girl
- a pinup boy
- be a pinup for someone
In the 1950s, she was a famous pinup girl.
He became a pinup for teenagers after his first movie.
Word forms
| plural | pinups |
|---|
Common combinations
- pinup girl
- She was a pinup girl in the 1940s.
- pinup poster
- He hung a pinup poster in his room.
- pinup calendar
- The garage had a pinup calendar on the wall.
Synonyms and how they differ
- centerfold
- A picture of a model on the middle pages of a magazine; more specific to magazines.
- poster
- A large printed picture, not necessarily of a person; 'pinup' is usually a picture of an attractive person.
- model
- A person whose job is to be photographed; 'pinup' focuses on the picture and its admirers.
Commonly confused: a pinup or pin-up?
a pinup vs pin-up
Same word, often written with a hyphen; 'pinup' is also common.
Practice
What does 'a pinup' usually mean?
Choose one answer.
'A pinup' is a picture of an attractive person, often put on a wall. 'A small pin for a map' is a pin, not a pinup; 'a type of cloth' is fabric; 'a point where something turns' is a pivot point.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a pinup”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.