premiere

A premiere is the first public performance or presentation of a work, such as a film, play, concert, or television series. It marks the initial showing to audiences and is often accompanied by publicity, red carpet arrivals, and media coverage. The term derives from the French premier meaning “first,” which itself comes from Latin primarius.

A world premiere denotes the first time the work is shown anywhere. Other terms describe first presentations in specific places or regions, such as international or regional premieres. Premieres are commonly tied to marketing campaigns and may be followed by a wider or later release to general audiences. In film and theater, premieres are frequently held at prestigious venues and can be charity or gala events.

In practice, a premiere may be separate from the general release date; some works premiere at festivals before broad distribution, while others debut with a simultaneous global launch. Reviews are often embargoed until a designated time around the premiere to maximize publicity.

The verb form, to premiere, means to present for the first time. The adjective premier is used in other contexts to mean foremost or leading, and is a separate sense from the noun premiere in modern English.

See also: debut, launch, opening night.