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Synonyms

movie theater

American  
[moo-vee thee-uh-ter] / ˈmu vi ˌθi ə tər /

noun

  1. a building or part of a building having seating for an audience and a large screen for showing movies.

Etymology

Origin of movie theater

First recorded in 1910–15

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.

As movie theater owners and studio executives converge on Las Vegas this week for the annual CinemaCon trade conference, a rare sentiment is emerging — optimism.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

There is also a private gym and a movie theater found in the penthouse.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

The “Nasty” video’s feminist empowerment pageant makes it stand out, as it begins with Jackson and Abdul squeezing past a crowd of catcallers to enter a movie theater.

From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026

"These snacks may not look like much but in any movie theater they would run you $85," the note says.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

Being at a movie theater together and feeling obligated to hold hands even after your hands become sweaty and the sweat starts mixing together; and 5.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green

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.