cinephile

noun

cine·​phile ˈsi-nə-ˌfī(-ə)l How to pronounce cinephile (audio)
: a lover of films : a cinema enthusiast

Examples of cinephile in a Sentence

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.
The new year is just around the corner, and Netflix is ringing in 2026 with a lineup designed to please every kind of cinephile. Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 30 Dec. 2025 As much as cinephiles look back at French and other European cinemas of past decades from the perspective of great films, the reality is what boosted art theaters and distributors in the late 1950s was the greater freedom in subject matters that European films provided. Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 28 Dec. 2025 Truly, Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s epic sounds like a feast for cinephiles and classics nerds alike. Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025 The evening honors 13 categories across every major craft, and honorees are selected by a jury of journalists, film historians and cinephiles. Beatrice Verhoeven, HollywoodReporter, 15 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cinephile

Word History

Etymology

French cinéphile, from ciné + -phile

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinephile was in 1929

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Cite this Entry

“Cinephile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinephile. Accessed 8 Jan. 2026.

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