Cinema: meaning, definitions and examples

General term used in British English to refer to a place where films are shown. Also used to describe the art and industry of filmmaking.

• Let's go to the cinema this weekend to watch the new movie.
• She has always been fascinated by the world of cinema.

Widely used in American English to describe a place where films are shown. Suitable for everyday conversation.

• We should buy tickets for the movie theater in advance to avoid long lines.
• The new movie theater in the mall has reclining seats.

An informal term that is more common in American English. It typically implies a smaller, often independent place that shows films.

• That quaint movie house around the corner often shows indie films.
• We discovered a hidden gem, a movie house that plays foreign films.

Less commonly used, this term can refer to a place where films are shown, and is sometimes used in formal or technical contexts.

• The small film theater downtown often screens classic movies.
• They renovated the old building and turned it into a state-of-the-art film theater.