cinema

American  

[sin-uh-muh] / ˈsɪn ə mə /

noun

• cinemas
  plural

1. movies collectively, as an art.

   During the Great Depression, cinema provided psychological comfort, an escape from the harsh realities of daily life.

2. Chiefly British. Also kinema movie theater.

   Do you know if there is a cinema near the British Museum?

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cinema British  

/ ˈsɪnɪmə, ˌsɪnɪˈmætɪk /

noun

1. 1. a place designed for the exhibition of films

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cinema seat

2. 1. the art or business of making films

   2. films collectively

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cinematic
  adjective
• cinematically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cinemas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cinema

First recorded in 1895–1900; short for cinematograph

Explanation

A cinema is another word for a movie theater. If you love films, you probably spend a lot of time at the cinema. It's more common to say cinema in Britain than in the United States, but any English speaker will know what you're talking about if you ask, "Want to go to the cinema?" You can also use cinema to talk about the film industry and its history: "This is my favorite film in all of American cinema." The word was first used in 1899, from the French cinéma, which was a shortened form of cinématographe, "motion picture projector and camera."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

cinema cinemas

There’s a grounded, earthy lyricism to the images captured in “Esta Isla” that show a Puerto Rico that’s at once lush and entrancing but also undiscovered and unseen in cinema.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026

Born Bernice Utal on Dec. 22, 1928, in East Orange, N.J., to parents Rudolph Utal and Elsie Elizabeth Rubin, the actor had a lifelong passion for entertainment during the golden age of Hollywood cinema.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

The film holds a unique place in British cinema history.

From BBC ● Aug. 23, 2026

This explains why my brain reflexively associated Ritchson’s latest work in a movie classic cinema buffs would likely dismiss as trash, with one of the greatest performers of early 20th century cinema.

From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2026

The same red carpet from the cinema hall was following them around.

From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy

The same year “Rocky Horror Picture Show” hit cinemas in 1975, its Broadway run at the Belasco Theatre shuttered after 45 showings and negative reviews.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Other manifesto pledges have included forcing water company bosses to swim in polluted rivers and banning loud snacks in cinemas.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

The couple spent their courtship sharing fun Covid-era activities, like stealing toilet paper, enjoying empty cinemas and stadiums, and taking selfies in front of dumpster fires, all to the tune of Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”

From Salon ● Aug. 1, 2026

Fans have been queuing outside cinemas to catch the latest Spider-Man film, with many hailing it as a spectacular return for the web-slinging superhero.

From BBC ● Aug. 1, 2026

Your mind is your house and if you fill it with rubbish from the cinemas it will rot in your head.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• film
• movie house
• movie theater