cinematography

noun

: 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

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.
The cinematography, handled by Indian National Film Award winner Rajeev Ravi, emphasizes the film’s dark and textured visual language. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026 The film was shot in Los Angeles at locations throughout the city and features music by Isaac Middleton, costume design by Jennifer DeRosa, editing by Amir Mosallaie, production design by Charles LaGola, and cinematography by Luke Dyra. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Aug. 2026 The street setting offered the freedom to experiment with storytelling and cinematography. Michelle Bruton, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026 Series creator Christopher Storer is nominated for directing, and the show also earned nominations for sound mixing, picture editing and cinematography. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 5 Aug. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Cinematography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cinematography. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

cinematography

noun
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
cinematographer
-fər
noun

Medical Definition

cinematography

noun
plural cinematographies
: the art or science of motion-picture photography
X-ray fluoroscopic cinematography

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