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

In other data, Unifrance noted that Latin America had become French cinema’s second biggest regional market after Western Europe. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 12 Jan. 2026

Its Globes victory confirms that quieter, literary cinema still has a potent constituency within the international community and, increasingly, the Academy itself. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 12 Jan. 2026

The Globes went hard for global cinema, handing nearly two-dozen nominations to Neon’s international slate. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026

The Young Cineastes Award was selected by a jury composed of high school students with a passion for cinema. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 11 Jan. 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