cinematography

noun

cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsi-nə-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of photography in a visual medium (as for movies, television, or video games)
black-and-white cinematography
But most of the cinematography is pedestrian. Many scenes are ridiculously overlit—no doubt because Technicolor was still a glorious new gimmick in 1939.Philip Martin
… this film, directed by Cameron Crowe, has better acting, more depth, and also boasts gorgeous cinematography.Nancy Gordon
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

Examples of cinematography in a Sentence

The film's cinematography is breathtaking. Who did the cinematography for this film?
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cinematography was handled by Amine Berrada, the editor was Romain Namura, and Paradise City Sales is handling sales. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026 Directed by Johan Candert, Ocean Dreams features underwater cinematography that fully immerses audiences in the ocean world. Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 15 May 2026 In addition to Artist of the Year, the judges selected three finalists from 16 semifinalists who showcased their skills in cinematography, directing, editing, sound design, and visual effects. Theresa Walker, Oc Register, 14 May 2026 In fact, his film is rapturously alive with the lulling sounds and intoxicating sites of the natural world, artfully expressed through its soundtrack and sensual cinematography. Randy Myers, Mercury News, 13 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for cinematography

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinematography was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
-fər
noun
cinematographic adjective

Medical Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cinematography

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster