1
: movie sense 1
—often used before another noun
cinema enthusiasts
2
: a movie theater
go to the cinema
3
: the art, technique, or business of making movies : the motion-picture medium or industry
Examples of cinema in a Sentence
a student of French cinema
We drove by the cinema to see what was playing.
Recent Examples on the Web
This breathless, busy sci-fi adventure ram-jams through space, time and the past 50 years of popular cinema history as our characters bop from planet to planet, making various stops and side quests.
—
Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
The 20-track LP serves as equal parts music and cinema in which Crockett weaves a tale of McLane as a cattle rustler on the run from the law who — eventually — gets his redemption.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Yes, a consolidation of the motion picture studios from five down to four would mean fewer jobs, less choices for moviegoers, higher tickets prices, increased leveraged rental terms on cinemas by studios, potential multiplex closings and depleting ticket sales.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
For instance, a portion of all movie ticket sales helps fund the production of French cinema.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cinema
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Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 4 Apr. 2026
The 20-track LP serves as equal parts music and cinema in which Crockett weaves a tale of McLane as a cattle rustler on the run from the law who — eventually — gets his redemption.
—Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
Yes, a consolidation of the motion picture studios from five down to four would mean fewer jobs, less choices for moviegoers, higher tickets prices, increased leveraged rental terms on cinemas by studios, potential multiplex closings and depleting ticket sales.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2026
For instance, a portion of all movie ticket sales helps fund the production of French cinema.
—Vivian Song, CNN Money, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cinema
Cite this Entry
“Cinema.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinema. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cinema
noun
cin·e·ma
ˈsin-ə-mə 
1
a
: movie sense 2a
a cinema director
b
: a theater for showing movies
went to the cinema
2
a
: the business of making movies
worked in cinema
b
: the art or technique of making movies
a student of French cinema
cinematic
adjective
ˌsin-ə-ˈmat-ik
cinematically
adverb
-i-k(ə-)lē
Etymology
derived from French cinématographe "motion picture," from Greek kinēma "movement" and graphe "picture," from kinein "to move" — related to kinetic
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