cinematography

noun

cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsi-nə-mə-ˈtä-grə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of photography in a visual medium (as for movies, television, or video games)
black-and-white cinematography
But most of the cinematography is pedestrian. Many scenes are ridiculously overlit—no doubt because Technicolor was still a glorious new gimmick in 1939.Philip Martin
… this film, directed by Cameron Crowe, has better acting, more depth, and also boasts gorgeous cinematography.Nancy Gordon
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

Examples of cinematography in a Sentence

The film's cinematography is breathtaking. Who did the cinematography for this film?
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.
Tregenza always does his own cinematography, and his style is entirely his own, involving extended and elaborate camera moves on dollies, cranes, cars, or even boats. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025 Shot across Mumbai, South India and Sweden, the film’s cinematography is by Subhransu Das. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 4 Feb. 2025 If that all sounds…slow, the cinematography and the sheer expressive power of Edgerton's craggy face carry you through the film's gentler moments. Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 3 Feb. 2025 Aside from an immaculate transfer that perfectly preserves the textured, vibrant cinematography by Gale Tattersall, the disc boasts hours of extra features that are all terrific and provide unique insights into the film’s making, reception, and meaning. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for cinematography 

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cinematography was in 1896

Dictionary Entries Near cinematography

Cite this Entry

“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 10 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
-fər
noun
cinematographic adjective

Medical Definition

cinematography

noun
cin·​e·​ma·​tog·​ra·​phy ˌsin-ə-mə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce cinematography (audio)
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography
cinematographic adjective
cinematographically adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cinematography

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!