cinema

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”).

noun

1. (countable) A movie theatre, a movie house
   The cinema is right across the street from the restaurant.
2. (film, uncountable) Films collectively.
   Despite the critics, he produced excellent cinema.
3. (film, uncountable) The film and movie industry.
   In the long history of Spanish cinema[…].
   Even without hovering drones, a lurking assassin, a thumping score and a denouement, the real-life story of Edward Snowden, a rogue spy on the run, could be straight out of the cinema. But, as with Hollywood, the subplots and exotic locations may distract from the real message: America’s discomfort and its foes’ glee. 2013-06-29, “Travels and travails”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8842, page 55
4. (film, countable, uncountable) The art of making films and movies; cinematography
   Throughout the history of cinema, filmmakers[…].
   The French and Italian cinemas can seem to persist autonomously—in the sense of being spaces of separate development and marked difference from Hollywood and other national cinemas. 2005, Tom O'Regan, Australian National Cinema, page 79