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

Following its cinema release, F1 The Movie is now available to watch on Apple TV. —Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Like that megayacht, the owner’s suite forward connects to a private deck with a Jacuzzi and a cinema screen for some secluded lounging. —Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2026

Boxley, seen all too briefly onscreen, is one of the most extraordinary presences in the recent cinema. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 23 Jan. 2026

After Dark honors fringe cinema in the streaming age with midnight movies from any moment in film history. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 23 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