ENGLISH
REFERENCE

cinematic

adj. · n.
US //ˌsɪnəˈmætɪk// UK //sˌɪnɪmˈætɪk// cin·e·mat·ic
  1. 1 resembling a movie (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    having the high quality, beauty, or dramatic feeling of a professional film.

    resembling a professional motion picture in visual style, scale, or narrative impact.

    Example

    The video game has cinematic graphics that make you feel like you are in a movie.

    Example

    The director's use of wide-angle lenses and natural lighting gave the small-budget production a truly cinematic feel that impressed critics.
  2. 2 relating to cinema (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    relating to the world of movies or the history of film.

    pertaining to the cinema or the art of filmmaking.

    Example

    The city has a rich cinematic history with many famous filming locations.

    Example

    The museum's latest exhibition explores the cinematic techniques used during the silent film era to convey emotion without dialogue.
    • filmic
  3. 3 a game cutscene (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a short movie clip inside a video game that tells part of the story.

    a non-interactive sequence in a video game used to advance the plot or develop characters.

    Example

    I skipped the cinematic because I wanted to get straight back to the action.

    Example

    The transition from the opening cinematic to active gameplay was so seamless that players hardly noticed the shift in control.

    Usage

    Often used by gamers and developers to distinguish story moments from active play.
    • gameplay
Etymology 1

From cinema + -tic. Compare French cinématique.

Etymology 2

Variant of kinematic.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Last updated June 20, 2026