cinema

American  

[sin-uh-muh] / ˈsɪn ə mə /

noun

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?

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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

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Other Word Forms

• cinematic adjective
• cinematically adverb

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

She did the same at the premiere - taking time for photos and autographs with fans, and then a surprise re-appearance at the window of the cinema to more, deafening screams.

From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026

Eye-popping prices for the most in-demand movies on the best screens are becoming increasingly common as the cinema industry copies the audience-segmentation playbooks of airlines and hotels.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026

Hawkes went to get cinema staff to intervene, but says when they returned the men had "momentarily stopped, to avoid being kicked out".

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

Though chaotic, the collection is organized by Conor’s interests, with anime, Irish cinema and horror some of its most densely populated sections.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

Wagner's theatre was an early attempt at what we would associate with the cinema, rather than the theatre, experience.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• film
• movie house
• movie theater