movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

plural movies

1

: a recording of moving images that tells a story and that people watch (as in a theater or on the screen of a television or mobile device) : motion picture sense 2a

watched a movie after dinner

a movie about the Civil War

an action movie

especially : a feature-length film shown in a movie theater

2

the movies : a showing of a motion picture especially in a theater

went to the movies last Friday

also : a theater that shows movies

What's playing at the movies?

3

the movies : the business of making movies : the medium or industry of film

Synonyms of movie

• film
• documentary

Examples of movie in a Sentence

He wants to work in the movies.

a career in the movies

Recent Examples on the Web

Kids still want to grow up to be astronauts, and adults are still mesmerized by space in movies, television and books. —Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026

Rachael Leigh Cook, who starred as the titular Riverdale rocker in the 2001 movie, recently addressed the idea of a potential sequel or reboot of the musical comedy, which was written and directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 22 Mar. 2026

William Shatner is a man who needs no introduction as one of the most beloved and distinguished movie stars Hollywood has ever created. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 22 Mar. 2026

Does that include the movie’s opening scene? —Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

moving picture

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing movie

• B movie
• home movie
• movie house

Rhymes for movie

• groovy

Kids Definition

movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

1

: motion picture sense 1

2

a

: a story represented in motion pictures

b

pl : a showing of a movie

went to the movies yesterday

3

plural : the business of making movies : the motion-picture industry