Word
cinema
Phoneticscin·e·ma, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɪnəmə/
UK/sˈɪnəmɐ/
Definitions
01movie theatre
A1 · Beginner Countable noun British English
n. a building where you go to watch films on a large screen.
n. a physical venue or theatre designed for the public exhibition of motion pictures.
“We are going to the cinema to see the new action movie tonight.”
“The local cinema has recently been renovated to include luxury seating and an upgraded sound system to attract more visitors.”
Pitfall
I am going to cinema tonight.
I am going to the cinema tonight.
In British English, you almost always use the definite article 'the' when referring to the activity of going to a movie theatre.
Synonyms
02films collectively
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. films in general, or the business of making them.
n. films considered as a collective body of work or the commercial industry responsible for their production.
“He has spent his whole life working in French cinema.”
“The documentary explores the profound impact of early European cinema on modern Hollywood storytelling techniques.”
03the art form
B2 · Upper Intermediate Uncountable noun Theater Academic
n. the art and skill of making films.
n. the aesthetic and technical art of motion-picture photography and storytelling.
“The professor gave a lecture on the history of Italian cinema.”
“Students of cinema must understand how lighting and camera angles contribute to the emotional weight of a scene.”
Synonyms
04high-quality film
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Humorous · Slang
n. a way to describe a film that is very artistic or impressive.
n. a term used to distinguish artistically significant or high-quality films from purely commercial entertainment.
“The cinematography in that last scene was absolute cinema.”
“While some critics dismissed the blockbuster, fans on social media praised the director's vision as peak cinema.”
Teaching tip
This sense is often used as a meme or a hyperbolic compliment on the internet to describe visually stunning moments.
Synonyms
Etymology
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.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/cinema