movie
Americannoun
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movies
plural
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a sequence of consecutive still images recorded in a series to be viewed on a screen in such rapid succession as to give the illusion of natural movement; motion picture.
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a story, event, or the like, presented in this form.
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movies,
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Usually the movies the movie industry.
The movies use MPA ratings to inform patrons about content that may not be suitable for certain audiences.
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all movies as a group, or a specific category of movies, considered as a genre.
gangster movies.
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the exhibition of movies.
an evening at the movies.
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Often the movies a movie theater.
Is there anything good playing at the movies on Main Street?
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noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of movie
First recorded in 1905–10; mov(ing picture) + -ie
Explanation
A movie is a film that you watch at a theater or at home on your TV, laptop, or tablet. Movie is short for "moving picture," which was pretty exciting in the late 1800s. You can rave about your favorite movie — whether it's "Citizen Kane" or "The Lion King" — and you can also talk about "the movies," or films in general and the industry that makes them. You might dream of working in the movies, for example. Before about 1912, movies were called "motion pictures." Movie is a shortened form of the phrase, which some people abbreviate into the more old-fashioned sounding "pictures."
Vocabulary lists containing movie
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.
See Examples For:
The movie also hinges on a major twist that Warner Bros. worked to keep secret, making it challenging to discuss Cruise’s performance in full.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
He is frequently referred to as “the last movie star.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
It was a two-and-a-half-minute showcase of the range and charisma of the world’s biggest movie star, building to a line from a “Mission: Impossible” movie: “Everything you’ve done has come to this.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, still among the most prestigious prizes any movie can claim, “Fjord” aims for both a quiet, subtle power and the directness of a sledgehammer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Jonah knew she’d gotten that line from a movie.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Warnings among women about staying vigilant lest a drink get spiked and keeping friends in sight are de rigueur on most campuses and show up regularly in a variety of movies and TV shows.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
Outside of the movies, shark bounties are uncommon these days.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
Latinos are some of the most ardent horror fans and often help bolster the box office of scary movies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Saint Laurent also established itself as the first couture house to invest in film production over his time, co-producing a number of movies including Jacques Audiard's hit musical "Emilia Perez".
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Whether we sat on the porch, walked through the hills, or went to the movies or for a drive, when Jimmie and I were together, everything was just easy and natural.
From "Reaching for the Moon" by Katherine Johnson
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.
