What does montage mean?
A montage is a composition created by assembling and combining distinct images, sounds, film clips, or other elements. It is especially associated with photography, visual art, cinema, and video, where juxtaposing separate materials can create a theme, evoke a particular period, or convey an entire narrative in compressed form. A photographic montage might combine unrelated illustrations into a single surreal image, while a film montage may consist of rapidly edited shots presented as one sequence. More broadly, “montage” can refer to the process of arranging varied pieces into a unified whole. As a verb, “to montage” means to organize material in this way, although the noun is much more common. The word carries the connotation of deliberate selection and combination: its constituent parts remain recognizable, but their arrangement gives them an additional meaning. This makes montage useful when discussing how separate visual or auditory materials interact to shape interpretation.
A composition made by combining distinct images, sounds, scenes, or other elements into a unified work.
"The exhibition's final montage contrasts desert landscapes with images of refrigerated warehouses."
In film and video, the term often refers specifically to a rapid sequence of shots. In photography, it can denote either the composite image or the technique used to create it.
To combine and arrange images, sounds, scenes, or other material as a montage.
"The editor montaged the interviews into a concise introductory sequence."
This verb form is less common than the noun and is especially associated with visual editing.
The plural is used for distinct composite works or sequences.
"The exhibition presented several montages assembled from archival material."
Borrowed from French monter, meaning “to mount” or “assemble,” montage became the art of making separate pieces create a single impression.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does montage come from?
Montage comes from French, where it is the verbal noun of monter, meaning “to mount” or “assemble.” French monter ultimately derives from Latin montare, from mons, meaning “mountain.” English borrowed the term in the early 20th century, initially in artistic contexts before it became firmly established in photography and film.
Related word forms
How montage is actually used
The term is common in photography, visual art, film, and video. Beyond these fields, it can describe any carefully assembled collection, often with the connotation that the disparate elements have been deliberately juxtaposed.