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cinema

/ˈsɪnəmə/

/ˈsɪnɛmə/

Other forms: cinemas

A cinema is another word for a movie theater. If you love films, you probably spend a lot of time at the cinema.

It's more common to say cinema in Britain than in the United States, but any English speaker will know what you're talking about if you ask, "Want to go to the cinema?" You can also use cinema to talk about the film industry and its history: "This is my favorite film in all of American cinema." The word was first used in 1899, from the French cinéma, which was a shortened form of cinématographe, "motion picture projector and camera."

Definitions of cinema
  1. noun
    a medium that disseminates moving pictures
    “this story would be good cinema
    synonyms: celluloid, film
    see moresee less
    types:
    silver screen
    the film industry
    type of:
    medium
    a means or instrumentality for storing or communicating information
  2. noun
    a theater where films are shown
    synonyms: movie house, movie theater, movie theatre, picture palace
    see moresee less
    types:
    bioscope
    a South African movie theater
    fleapit
    an old shabby movie theater
    multiplex
    a movie theater than has several different auditoriums in the same building
    type of:
    house, theater, theatre
    a building where theatrical performances or motion-picture shows can be presented
Pronunciation
US

/ˈsɪnəmə/

UK

/ˈsɪnɛmə/

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