cinematography

noun

cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsi-nə-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of photography in a visual medium (as for movies, television, or video games)
black-and-white cinematography
But most of the cinematography is pedestrian. Many scenes are ridiculously overlit—no doubt because Technicolor was still a glorious new gimmick in 1939.Philip Martin
… this film, directed by Cameron Crowe, has better acting, more depth, and also boasts gorgeous cinematography.Nancy Gordon
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

Examples of cinematography in a Sentence

The film's cinematography is breathtaking. Who did the cinematography for this film?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Portman won the best-actress Oscar for her electrifying performance, and the film received four other nominations—for best picture, director, cinematography, and editing—among numerous other accolades. Keaton Bell, Vogue, 15 Aug. 2025 The film is produced by Panahi and Phillippe Martin, with cinematography by Amin Jafari and editing from Amir Etminan. Ellise Shafer, Variety, 14 Aug. 2025 The gorgeous cinematography, coupled with Johansson's mesmerizing performance and the abstract subject matter, resonated with critics and genre lovers alike. Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 12 Aug. 2025 The Bad This is a weird trailer because the vibe is very similar to The Office in terms of the actual work space and the cinematography, but that’s where the similarities end. Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cinematography

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinematography was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 22 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
-fər
noun
cinematographic adjective

Medical Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cinematography

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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