plural cinemas
1
a
: the film industry
She had a long career in (the) cinema.
b
: the art or technique of making movies
a student of French cinema
2
chiefly British
: a movie theater
We drove by the cinema to see what was playing.
They are going to the cinema [=(US) going to the movies] tonight.
Cite this Entry
“Cinema.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/cinema. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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