French word

cinéphile

Pronunciation

IPA/sinefil/

Meaning

  • noun (m./f.)movie buff

Example

Nous sommes cinéphiles.

We are movie buffs.

Illustration for cinéphile (movie buff)

More examples

Au festival, beaucoup de cinéphiles ont discuté des films indépendants.

At the festival, many movie buffs discussed independent films.

Core concept

A film lover who looks beyond entertainment to a movie's craft, style, and meaning.

Common phrases

  • être cinéphile

    be a movie buff

  • un cinéphile passionné

    a passionate movie buff

  • club de cinéphiles

    movie buffs' club

Similar words

spectateur: Someone who watches films for enjoyment.
amateur de cinéma: A film enthusiast who enjoys cinema as a hobby and sometimes discusses it.

Definition in French

Personne qui aime les films et s'intéresse à leur forme, leur style ou leur contenu au-delà du simple divertissement.

Word origin

Cinéphile combines cinéma with the suffix -phile, from Greek phílos, meaning a person with a strong interest in or love of something.

Usage tips

  • Cinéphile has the same form for masculine and feminine nouns: un cinéphile and une cinéphile.

Opposites

  • cinéphobemovie haternoun

Related words

  • cinéphiliecinephilianoun

Word lists with this word