cinematic

American

[sin-uh-mat-ik] / ˌsɪn əˈmæt ɪk /

adjective

having to do with movies, as either an industry or an art form.

The book explores Andy Warhol's cinematic work, focusing on ten films in detail.
(of a movie) showing a high level of artistry; grand and visually impressive.

This film is filled with sweeping, cinematic shots of the surrounding countryside, to the point where the setting almost becomes a third character.
having qualities or using techniques associated with good movies, such as drama, emotional intensity, visual or sonic artistry, epic narrative, etc..

Poetic and strikingly cinematic, her exquisitely written novel illuminates the strange tightrope we are all walking in the radically altered landscape post-9/11.

noun

(in a video game) a short video or scripted event scene between stages of interactive play, often to introduce a new level, develop a character, or advance the plot.

This year's NHL game has a lot of the same animations, cinematics between faceoffs, commentary tracks, and graphics.

Other Word Forms

cinematically adverb
uncinematic adjective

Etymology

Origin of cinematic

cinemat(ograph) ( def. ) + -ic

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.

The average person shouldn’t have to fret that bold ideas and wondrous cinematic visions are being gatekept from them by the people in a boardroom clinging to a conservative agenda.

From Salon

Inside, original architectural and design details that nod to the estate’s Hollywood history keep its cinematic fantasy front and center.

From MarketWatch

I knew it was bad as soon as I heard the crack, but the whole tragedy happened in cinematic slow motion.

From Literature

Propulsive and cinematic, “Burn the Water” cries out for a film adaptation, which isn’t surprising since Ray is a screenwriter and the bones of the tale began as a movie.

From Los Angeles Times

The staging, arranged around striking tableaux, is at once cinematic and fleetly theatrical.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023