movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

plural movies

1

: a recording of moving images that tells a story and that people watch (as in a theater or on the screen of a television or mobile device) : motion picture sense 2a

watched a movie after dinner

a movie about the Civil War

an action movie

especially : a feature-length film shown in a movie theater

2

the movies : a showing of a motion picture especially in a theater

went to the movies last Friday

also : a theater that shows movies

What's playing at the movies?

3

the movies : the business of making movies : the medium or industry of film

Synonyms of movie

• film
• documentary

Examples of movie in a Sentence

He wants to work in the movies.

a career in the movies

Recent Examples on the Web

The movie made Oscars history when director of photography Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first female to win for best cinematography. —Erin Jensen, USA Today, 16 Mar. 2026

As with every ceremony in recent memory, the 2026 Oscars fuction was a convention of old-school movie stardom. —Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 16 Mar. 2026

But the movie and Chalamet still got plenty of airtime as well as online discussion, as Timothée Chalamet’s comments about opera and ballet became a recurring theme of the night. —Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 16 Mar. 2026

The actor was on hand to present at the event, and her latest movie, Marty Supreme, was nominated in the Best Picture category. —Madeline Dangmann, Glamour, 16 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

moving picture

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing movie

• B movie
• home movie
• movie house

Rhymes for movie

• groovy

Kids Definition

movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

1

: motion picture sense 1

2

a

: a story represented in motion pictures

b

pl : a showing of a movie

went to the movies yesterday

3

plural : the business of making movies : the motion-picture industry