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 /

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

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Etymology

Origin of cinema

First recorded in 1895–1900; short for cinematograph

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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

The 22-year-old cinema and media studies student graduates in December, and she’s admittedly “a little freaked out” by what awaits her.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

It has outlasted kingdoms and empires, inspired religious devotion and political movements, and found new life, again and again, on TV and in cinema.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

"It's the largest production in the history of Indian cinema," said Malhotra, who has branded it India's "Star Wars" or "Lord of the Rings".

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

“Public Access Afterworld” is a page-turner in the tradition of supermarket paperbacks from Stephen King and Clive Barker, both of whom know cinema well.

From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026

Boaz, the handsome nerd who could not show up on time if his life depended on it, knew something she did not, in her cinema.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

"Ramayana: Rise of a Legend" -- in cinemas worldwide from Thursday -- has been more than a decade in the making, with a reported mega $420 million combined budget.

From Barron's ● Nov. 5, 2026

The film's popular reception will become clearer soon as audiences fill cinemas.

From BBC ● Nov. 5, 2026

The launch is part of celebrations marking Zelda's 40th anniversary, alongside a global concert tour and a live-action film hitting cinemas next spring.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

As Disney's $71bn buyout of 21st Century Fox in 2019 proved, mega-deals can lead to fewer films in cinemas.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026

By popular demand, the cinemas throughout Africa and Asia had shown his fight.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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Related Words

• film
• movie house
• movie theater

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