cinema

American  

[sin-uh-muh] / ˈsɪn ə mə /

noun

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?

---

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

---

Other Word Forms

• cinematic
  adjective
• cinematically
  adverb

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

“Communities wage the fight but cinema helps,” she says.

From Los Angeles Times • May 6, 2026

"It shouldn't be the case that parents are left trying to search for a cinema their child can attend," she said, adding that travelling created extra costs and put families "at a disadvantage".

From BBC • May 6, 2026

Tamil Nadu has long been attuned to political theatrics, where cinema and power often blur into one continuum.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Unlike the static concert films of the past, the new tech allows artists on a remote stage to see, hear, and respond to the theater audience, effectively turning your local cinema into a stadium.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

But Penelope’s pace was relentless, as if she was worried this might be the last time she’d get to go to the cinema.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• film
• movie house
• movie theater