cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsi-nə-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē 
: 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
Philip Martin… this film, directed by Cameron Crowe, has better acting, more depth, and also boasts gorgeous cinematography.—Nancy Gordon
Nancy Gordon
cin·e·mat·o·graph·ic
¦si-nə-ˌma-tə-¦gra-fik
variants
or less commonly cinematographical
¦si-nə-ˌma-tə-¦gra-fi-kəl
1
a
: peculiar to, used in, or connected with cinematography
b
: skilled in cinematography
2
: filmed for or reproduced by means of motion-picture projection
3
a
: conveyed or evoked by motion pictures
b
: having qualities in common with cinematography
specifically
: using devices suggestive of motion-picture technique
Examples of cinematography in a Sentence
Noun
The film's cinematography is breathtaking.
Who did the cinematography for this film?
Recent Examples on the Web
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 June 2026
At the 2019 Emmys, The Handmaid’s Tale picked up 11 nominations and three wins in categories like writing, directing, cinematography, costumes, music, editing, and guest acting (Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones swept the drama guest awards) for a season that had half-aired the year before.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
The film is edited by Nadine Mundo, with cinematography by Robert Hunter, and original music composed by Katya Richardson.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
With Sonja Tyspin’s cinematography imbuing an innocent, sensual curiosity, Kiyoko sweetly conveys the awkward thrill of fledgling emotions.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cinematography
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Noun
The Chinese debut feature, which also won best cinematography for Hao Jiayue, led a ceremony that spread recognition across countries and competition sections.
—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
20 June 2026
At the 2019 Emmys, The Handmaid’s Tale picked up 11 nominations and three wins in categories like writing, directing, cinematography, costumes, music, editing, and guest acting (Bradley Whitford and Cherry Jones swept the drama guest awards) for a season that had half-aired the year before.
—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
The film is edited by Nadine Mundo, with cinematography by Robert Hunter, and original music composed by Katya Richardson.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
With Sonja Tyspin’s cinematography imbuing an innocent, sensual curiosity, Kiyoko sweetly conveys the awkward thrill of fledgling emotions.
—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for cinematography
Cite this Entry
“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cinematography
noun
cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
noun
-fər
Medical Definition
cinematography
noun
cin·e·ma·tog·ra·phy
ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography
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