cinema
- 01 B1 Intermediate
films as a group, or the business and art of making them.
the medium of filmmaking considered as an art form or a collective industry.
Simple“She decided to study French cinema because she loved old black-and-white movies.”
In context“The festival celebrates world cinema, providing a platform for independent directors who operate outside the traditional Hollywood studio system.”
UsageOften used uncountably when referring to the art form or industry.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a way to describe a film that is very artistic, beautiful, or impressive.
a term used to distinguish artistically significant or sophisticated films from purely commercial entertainment.
Simple“The cinematography in that last scene was absolute cinema.”
In context“While some critics dismissed the blockbuster as mere spectacle, fans on social media hailed its visual storytelling as peak cinema.”
UsageOften used as a one-word reaction or caption to a visually stunning scene.
Teacher's tipThis sense has become a popular internet meme used to praise high-quality production values, often with a touch of irony.
Synonymsmasterpieceart film
Borrowed from French cinéma, clipping of cinématographe (term coined by the Lumière brothers in the 1890s), from Ancient Greek κίνημα (kínēma, “movement”) + γράφω (gráphō, “write, record”). Compare German Kino (“cinema”), ultimately from the same Greek source.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.