blockbuster
UK: ˈblɒkˌbʌstə | US: ˈblɑːkˌbʌstər
n. 1. A highly successful film, book, or other product, especially one that achieves widespread popularity or financial success.
n. 2. (Historical) A large bomb capable of destroying entire blocks of buildings.
The term originated in WWII slang, referring to massive aerial bombs ("block busters") designed to demolish entire city blocks. By the 1950s, it was repurposed in entertainment to describe films or books with explosive popularity, metaphorically "breaking through" cultural barriers like the bombs shattered physical ones. The morpheme "block" retains its concrete spatial meaning, while "buster" evolved from literal destruction to figurative dominance.
The new superhero movie became a global blockbuster, earning over $1 billion.
Critics praised the novel as a potential literary blockbuster.
WWII pilots carried blockbusters to target industrial areas.
Streaming platforms compete to produce the next viral blockbuster.
The director’s debut film was an unexpected blockbuster.