movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

plural movies

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

Synonyms of movie

• film
• documentary

Examples of movie in a Sentence

He wants to work in the movies.

a career in the movies

Recent Examples on the Web

The data examines topics such as decorating for the holidays, baking festive treats, watching Christmas movies and wearing festive clothes. —Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 20 Dec. 2025

This is the season of Hallmark movies, after all. —Hannah Kirby, jsonline.com, 20 Dec. 2025

Often people turn to the actors when the director doesn’t want to tell you what his or her movie’s about. —Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025

The actor went on to win three Academy Awards for Rocky, which was ultimately the highest-grossing movie of 1976, a feat that came with complex emotions. —Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 19 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

moving picture

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing movie

• B movie
• home movie
• movie house

Rhymes for movie

• groovy

Kids Definition

movie

noun

mov·​ie ˈmü-vē 

1

: motion picture sense 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