plural movies
Synonyms of movienext
1
: a recording of moving images that tells a story and that people watch (as in a theater or on the screen of a television or mobile device) : motion picture sense 2a
watched a movie after dinner
a movie about the Civil War
an action movie
especially : a feature-length film shown in a movie theater
2
the movies : a showing of a motion picture especially in a theater
went to the movies last Friday
also : a theater that shows movies
What's playing at the movies?
3
the movies : the business of making movies : the medium or industry of film

Examples of movie in a Sentence

He wants to work in the movies. a career in the movies
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What shines through, however, are the lively longings of Kit herself as the movie doubles down on an interest in science that is only intimated in the novel. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 4 Sep. 2026 The movie’s tone, humor, structure, and style influenced many mockumentaries to come, and the filmmakers (particularly Guest) revisited the format in such films as Waiting for Guffman (1996), Best in Show (2000), and A Mighty Wind (2003). René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Sep. 2026 But factors such as surging ticket prices and shorter gaps between theatrical runs and streaming releases contribute to the perception that going out to the movies is a luxury, and shrink crowds accordingly. Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Sep. 2026 Still, the movie does at times rely on convenient incompetence. Richard Brody, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for movie

Word History

Etymology

moving picture

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of movie was in 1909

Cite this Entry

“Movie.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/movie. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
2
a
: a story represented in motion pictures
b
pl : a showing of a movie
went to the movies yesterday
3
plural : the business of making movies : the motion-picture industry

More from Merriam-Webster on movie

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