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

That framework, Yeon says, distinguishes Korean commercial cinema from other markets. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2026

The scene mirrored the energy of a film set, all drama and specific lighting and smoke billowing from mysterious corners, honoring the house’s relationship with cinema. —Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2026

Kleber Mendonça Filho was named Best Director for his The Secret Agent and Wagner Moura was named Best Actor for leading the same film in what were both firsts for a nation that prides itself on its cinema and has done since the industry first took root there in the late 1890s. —Mathew Scott, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026

There’s ample possibility in trying to mine cinema from pure rhetoric. —Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 15 May 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