cinema

noun

cin·​e·​ma ˈsi-nə-mə 

 British also  -ˌmä

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

• big screen
• film
• filmdom
• filmland
• filmmaking
• movie
• moviemaking
• pictures
• screen
• silver screen

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

This is where the LG G4 really excels, with colors that are just as accurate and much closer to covering the full digital cinema color space. —PCMAG, 6 Nov. 2024

Thailand’s government is also planning to establish Media Business Economic Zones, with Pattaya mentioned as a location, and expand cinema circuits in rural areas. —Liz Shackleton, Deadline, 5 Nov. 2024

The festival program includes panel discussions featuring industry figures and family members, offering insights into the artists’ impact on Indian cinema. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Nov. 2024

Future of Filmmaking In an era where new technologies and business models present opportunity and uncertainty in equal measure, the inaugural summit illustrated that a changing industry is still rooted in humanity's love for cinema. —Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

short for cinematograph

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cinema

• cinema verité
• go to the cinema

Kids 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

ˌsin-ə-ˈmat-ik

adjective

cinematically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Etymology

derived from French cinématographe "motion picture," from Greek kinēma "movement" and graphe "picture," from kinein "to move" — related to kinetic