movie
Americannoun
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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:
My colleague Dana Stevens says it may be her favorite Nolan movie to date.
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
The couple is now planning a pricier date out—to see the movie “Obsession” at a local theater.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Max even has his own stalker played by Juliette Lewis, who also starred in the 1991 movie.
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
L.A. is also where she filmed her latest movie, “The Dink,” an Apple TV comedy centered on one of her favorite pastimes: pickleball.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
“Oh, yes, I have a hand in everything. Scene setting, how the actors move, title cards, camera effects. I envision the whole movie in my head and get it all down in the continuity script.”
From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu
The lawsuit alleges antitrust violations in three markets where the two companies currently compete: wide-release films, potential blockbuster movies and cable television, where the combined entity would own more than 50 cable channels.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Plan your weekend viewing: Heading to the movies and wondering what to see?
From Slate ● Jul. 17, 2026
It’s telling that Neill’s first major film role outside of a few sleepy Australian movies was as a grown-up version of “The Omen” antichrist Damien Thorne in 1981’s “The Final Conflict.”
From Salon ● Jul. 17, 2026
The company said Thursday that it will shift to an annual release of its “What We Watched” report, which details how much time viewers spent watching its shows and movies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026
Because this was just a girl around his age, wearing a plaid skirt, sparkly tights, and a T-shirt with a logo from the Fornax Force movies.
From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman
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.
