Cinema
/ˈsɪn.ɪ.mə/noun
A movie theater or the art, industry, and medium of motion pictures.
Did you know?Cinema comes from a French shortening of cinématographe, a term built from Greek roots meaning “to write movement,” turning motion into something you can literally record.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κίνημα (kínēma)
“a movement, motion”
Late 19th Century
French
cinématographe
“a motion-picture device; also the films made with it”
Late 19th Century
French
cinéma
“cinematograph; motion pictures; movie theater”
Early 20th Century
English
cinema
“motion pictures; a movie theater”
Modern English
English
cinema
“the medium, industry, or venue of motion pictures”
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