cinema

noun

cin·​e·​ma ˈsi-nə-mə 

British also -ˌmä

1

: movie sense 1

—often used before another noun

cinema enthusiasts

2

: a movie theater

go to the cinema

3

: the art, technique, or business of making movies : the motion-picture medium or industry

Synonyms of cinema

• film
• filmmaking
• movie

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

The city feels theatrical and alive, with open-air theaters, cinemas, and a vibrant arts scene that spills into its streets. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026

Broken into roughly 90-second episodes, microdramas first emerged during the pandemic, capitalizing on the popularity of short video apps like Douyin and Kuaishou as cinemas and studios closed. — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2026

The film follows Niaz (Bakhtadze), a once-famous star of Georgian cinema who embarks on a bizarre and fatalistic odyssey of self-transformation, after an unsettling audition with a young female director looking to cast him in a minor part. — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026

Oenophiles can store their wine collection in the home’s original cellar, with space for about 4,000 bottles, and cinephiles can get comfy in the cinema, outfitted with theater-like seating. — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 20 Aug. 2026

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

Rhymes for cinema

• minima

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