What does cinematically mean?
Cinematically is an adverb used to describe actions, scenes, or descriptions that unfold in the manner of cinema — with its visual sweep, dramatic pacing, or storytelling techniques. It appears most often in film criticism, where it characterises how a shot or sequence is composed, but it has spread into literary and cultural commentary as well: a novelist may open a chapter cinematically, or a writer may describe a real event cinematically to convey how striking it felt. The word derives from cinema, itself rooted in the Greek kinēma (movement), via the adjective cinematic. Its connotations are generally favourable, suggesting visual richness and dramatic impact, though it can be used neutrally to discuss technique. For readers and writers alike, it offers a compact way to express the increasingly common overlap between what we read and what we watch.
adverbIn a manner characteristic of or reminiscent of the cinema; in a way that resembles the style, visual qualities, or storytelling techniques of film.
- In a manner characteristic of cinema, especially in visual style or dramatic presentation.
- (Of a scene, event, or description) so vivid or striking as to resemble a scene from a film.
"The novel opens cinematically, with a sweeping aerial view of the city before narrowing to a single character on the street."
"The director staged the chase cinematically, cutting between wide shots and tight close-ups."
"Her memoir describes her childhood cinematically, each memory unfolding like a scene on screen."
Cinematically lets novelists and critics borrow film's eye — turning prose into something you can almost watch.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cinematically
Cinematically is formed from the adjective cinematic plus the adverbial suffix -ly. Cinematic traces back to cinema, a late 19th-century coinage shortened from cinematograph, which derives ultimately from the Greek kinēma, meaning 'movement' (from kinein, 'to move'). The adverb emerged in English during the 20th century as cinema became a dominant art form and critics needed language to describe film-like qualities in other media.
Related word forms
How cinematically is actually used
Cinematically is most at home in film criticism, literary criticism, and arts journalism. It carries a broadly positive connotation of visual richness or dramatic flair, though it can be used neutrally to describe technique rather than quality.
Easily confused with cinematically
Cinematic is the adjective describing something that has the qualities of film, while cinematically is the adverb describing how an action is done or experienced in that way.