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?

---

cinema British  

/ ˈsɪnɪmə, ˌsɪnɪˈmætɪk /

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

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• cinematic
  adjective
• cinematically
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cinemas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of cinema

First recorded in 1895–1900; short for cinematograph

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

He tells the BBC the sports industry needs to innovate because it is "competing with any other live experience - going to the museum, going to the theatre, going to the cinema".

From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2026

"They're very encouraging for the future of cinema," Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan told AFP and other entertainment journalists last week in Paris.

From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026

His company, Film Leader Co., supervises film restorations and runs technical operations for a smattering of cinema houses across the country.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

Beijing wants “to move up the ladder fast and dominate technologies. For that, the fact that people consume and go to the cinema doesn’t really help.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 16, 2026

But Penelope’s pace was relentless, as if she was worried this might be the last time she’d get to go to the cinema.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

His favorite parts of the city are its repertory cinemas and lush neighborhoods like Mount Washington, where his godfather resides, because they look the most like Vancouver.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

The Odyssey is in cinemas from Friday 17 July.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

To celebrate the special year in the festival's history, a digitally restored film is screening in cinemas across the UK showing scenes from 1993.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

VAT will be reduced on children's meals served in restaurants as well as kids' and family tickets for cinemas, theatres, concerts, shows. and exhibitions.

From BBC ● Jun. 24, 2026

The women are gone to the cinemas, the men are in the pubs, and still Dad isn’t home.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt

Related Words

• film
• movie house
• movie theater