1. a theater where movies are shown for public entertainment; a movie theater: British"I was weaned on a diet of Hollywood fantasy at my local cinema"Similarmovie theatermovie housetrademark:cineplexinformal:fleapitdated:picture palacepicture theaterbioscopehistorical:nickelodeonthe picturesthe moviesinformal:the flicks
▪ the production of movies as an art or industry:British"the history of American cinema"Similarfilmspicturesmoviesmotion picturesinformal:the big screenthe silver screen
Word Originearly 20th century: from French cinéma, abbreviation of cinématographe (see cinematograph).