1
a
: motion picture
—usually used attributively
b
: a motion-picture theater
2
a
: movies
especially
: the film industry
b
: the art or technique of making motion pictures
Synonyms
Examples of cinema in a Sentence
a student of French cinema
We drove by the cinema to see what was playing.
Recent Examples on the Web
There are various measures in place across different areas to encourage people out to the cinema, state media also reported earlier in January.
—
Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
In addition to presenting projects, the ICA organizes panels and networking events to link Indigenous talent across national borders and to evaluate the profile of Indigenous cinema worldwide.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Founded in 1975, in a tumultuous heyday of European, Eastern European, Scandinavian and Latin American cinema breaking through to adventurous American movie audiences, Facets Multimedia turns 50 this year.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
That is a staggering achievement — and one that remains unrivaled in cinema (though Linklater will try to replicate it with his film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along).
—Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cinema 
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Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline, 29 Jan. 2025
In addition to presenting projects, the ICA organizes panels and networking events to link Indigenous talent across national borders and to evaluate the profile of Indigenous cinema worldwide.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Jan. 2025
Founded in 1975, in a tumultuous heyday of European, Eastern European, Scandinavian and Latin American cinema breaking through to adventurous American movie audiences, Facets Multimedia turns 50 this year.
—Chicago Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025
That is a staggering achievement — and one that remains unrivaled in cinema (though Linklater will try to replicate it with his film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along).
—Brian Smolensky and James Mercadante, EW.com, 27 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for cinema
Dictionary Entries Near cinema
Cite this Entry
“Cinema.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinema. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cinema
noun
cin·e·ma
ˈsin-ə-mə 
1
a
: movie sense 2a
a cinema director
b
: a theater for showing movies
went to the cinema
2
a
: the business of making movies
worked in cinema
b
: the art or technique of making movies
a student of French cinema
cinematic
adjective
ˌsin-ə-ˈmat-ik
cinematically
adverb
-i-k(ə-)lē
Etymology
derived from French cinématographe "motion picture," from Greek kinēma "movement" and graphe "picture," from kinein "to move" — related to kinetic
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