motion picture

noun

1

: a series of still pictures displayed on a screen in rapid succession so as to produce the optical effect of continuous video

2

a

: a representation (as of a story) by means of motion pictures

especially : movie sense 1

starring in a major motion picture

—often used before another noun

a motion picture screen

b

: the business or industry of making movies

—usually used in plural

a bigwig in motion pictures

Synonyms of motion picture

• movie
• moving picture
• film
• documentary

Examples of motion picture in a Sentence

He was given a starring role in a major motion picture.

a popular novel that was made into a major motion picture

Recent Examples on the Web

Colvin would later gain wider recognition through his portrayal in the 2014 movie, When The Game Stands Tall, a major motion picture about his high school team and its legendary coach, Bob Ladouceur. —Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 10 Dec. 2025

The Producers Guild Awards itself recognizes excellence in production across motion pictures, television, and emerging media, as well as the leading figures whose contributions continue to define the producing profession. —Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2025

The Producers Guild Awards recognize excellence in production across motion pictures, television and emerging media, as well as the leading figures whose contributions continue to define the producing profession. —Giana Levy, Variety, 9 Dec. 2025

At the 2025 awards, Grande was nominated for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her performance in part one, but the award went to Zoe Saldaña for Emilia Pérez instead. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 8 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for motion picture

• stricture

Kids Definition

motion picture

noun

1

: a series of pictures projected on a screen rapidly one after another so as to give the appearance of a continuous picture in which the objects move

2

: movie sense 2