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 company’s flagship Chon Buri campus, for instance, houses the massive 38,000-square-meter Lotus Plus Mall, which includes a hypermarket, retail stores, banks, restaurants and an international cinema. — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2026

The awards were handed out tonight at an imposing ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s legendary Odeon cinema. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026

Inevitably, Kreutzer’s film was tarnished by association and even withdrawn from some cinemas. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 10 Oct. 2026

Communal areas, including a private cinema, will be appointed with furniture from Karl Lagerfeld Maison, while quotes from the late German designer will be incorporated here and there. — Miles Socha, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 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