cinematographer
Americannoun
-
a person whose profession is video photography, especially for feature-length movies.
Etymology
Origin of cinematographer
First recorded in 1895–1900; cinematograph + -er 1
Explanation
The cinematographer on a movie set is the person with the camera. The cinematographer's job can include planning shots, lighting, and operating a camera. A cinematographer is also called the "director of photography," or the DP. On a large-budget film there may be several cameras being used at once — the cinematographer is the person who directs the camera operators, as well as overseeing the lighting on the set. The word comes from cinematograph, which is now obsolete and permanently shortened to cinema, from the French cínématographe, "motion picture projector and camera."
Vocabulary lists containing cinematographer
Academy Awards, List 6
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Words with 15 or More Letters, List 3
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: Current Events Vocab for October 23–October 29, 2021
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Gabbard got married in a Hindu ceremony to her Hawaii-based cinematographer husband.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
The photography is often astounding, whether it is by Mr. Bonython or cinematographer Sakke Kantosalo or by the drone team under the latter’s direction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026
Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw said she missed an important point during her speech when she became the first woman to win the award in Oscars history.
From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026
"Train Dreams" was filmed in Washington state and has so far won several prizes during Hollywood's awards season, especially for cinematographer Adolpho Veloso.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
She knew her parents wanted her to study law, but she wanted to pursue filmmaking and be a cinematographer.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
