movie

American  

[moo-vee] / ˈmu vi /

noun

1. 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.

2. a story, event, or the like, presented in this form.

3. movies,

   1. Usually the movies the movie industry.

      The movies use MPA ratings to inform patrons about content that may not be suitable for certain audiences.

   2. all movies as a group, or a specific category of movies, considered as a genre.

      gangster movies.

   3. the exhibition of movies.

      an evening at the movies.

   4. Often the movies a movie theater.

      Is there anything good playing at the movies on Main Street?

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movie British  

/ ˈmuːvɪ /

noun

1. 1. an informal word for film

   2. ( as modifier )

      movie ticket

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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."

Example Sentences

“The movie is very much in tune with culture,” said Mattel Chief Executive Ynon Kreiz.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

In the movie, Blunt plays Margaret Fairchild, a TV meteorologist chosen by extraterrestrials as the human through whom they communicate—“the last person on earth that you’d imagine would be destined for this task,” Blunt says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

That partnership stemmed from Mattel’s work on the “Barbie” movie with Courtenay Valenti, then president of production and development at Warner Bros.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

“I hope she sits down long enough to write a movie sometime,” Streep says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026

Maya-Jade was quiet as they took their pizza and drinks onto the big L-shaped couch in the den and pulled up the movie on the TV.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Related Words

• cinema
• feature
• film
• flick
• motion picture
• picture
• show
• videotape