movie

From moving (picture) +‎ -ie. Attested since at least 1912 (if not 1908),^[1] originally in American English.

• IPA^(key): /ˈmuːvi/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -uːvi

movie (plural movies)

1. (chiefly Canada, US, Australia) A recorded sequence of images displayed on a screen at a rate sufficiently fast to create the appearance of motion; a film.

   Synonyms: flick, motion picture, moving picture, moving-picture show, photoplay, picture show, picture

2. (usually in the plural, chiefly Canada, US, Australia) A cinema; a movie theatre.

   Let's go to the movies.

3. (informal, figuratively) Any event, especially one that is unpleasant or tiresome.

   Don't worry; this isn't the first time I've been through this movie.

   • 1981, Paul Sann, Trial in the Upper Room, New York, N.Y.: Crown Publishers, Inc., →ISBN, page 166:

     And then when the other five were in the Dance Hall up there on the river, steps away from the hot seat, Lehman let off an Italian dragged along on the lookout detail and a Hebrew who was supposed to have furnished the guns, although that had the smell of a frame because the cops didn't like him from another movie.

   • 1985, Charles Nicholl, The Fruit Palace, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin's Press, →ISBN, page 259:

     I've been through this movie before, I thought.

   • 2005, Dave Smith, To Be of Use: The Seven Seeds of Meaningful Work, Novato, C.A.: New World Library, →ISBN, page 85:

     This is the world's final fate and ultimate horror and the evangelists' just reward for being right: a kingdom ruled by the preachers, complete with the inquisitions, the debasement of women, and the witch-hunting that always accompanies self-righteous followers and enforcers of a cruel god. We've been through this movie before.

   • 2015 November 3, Steve Daniels, quoting Tom Wilson, “Allstate doubles pace of rate hikes as costs keep rising”, in Crain's Chicago Business‎, Chicago, I.L.: Crain Communications Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:

     CEO Tom Wilson said on a conference call today that Allstate hadn't seen a nationwide spike in claims costs like this "in a long time." ¶ "That said, we see this movie every year multiple times in individual states," he said. "So it's not like we haven't been through this movie multiple times before. We know how to manage it. . . .You should expect to continue to see some impact on growth."

4. (slang, figuratively) An extremely fun and exciting experience.

   Every night with you is a movie!

   • 2018 December 3, “Old Town Road”‎performed by Lil Nas X:

     My life is a movie / Bull ridin' and boobies / Cowboy hat from Gucci / Wrangler on my booty

   • 2023 February 4, @dougwithersMD, Twitter‎, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:

     Gun range was a total movie. Had to make sure our shooting skills were on point (they were). Now drinking the most expensive bottle of wine I've ever have courtesy of Gunner opening a bottle he wasn't supposed to open

   • 2023 April 4, skiwithaneye, Instagram‎, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:

     last night was amazing! more content coming. it was literally a movie lol best time with one of my besties @chloebailey love you siss ❤️❤️❤️

   • 2023 June 23, @Hoodville_, Twitter‎, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:

     Mfs go to a party and stand by a wall all night then the next day post "last night was a movie"

   • 2023 December 2, @IMHIMZEL, Twitter‎, archived from the original on 18 January 2024:

     Thank Y'all 🔥.. 2024! I'm going to make it a movie 🎥

• → Bengali: মুভী (mubhi), মুভি (mubhi)
• → Hindi: मूवी (mūvī)
• → Japanese: ムービー (mūbī)
• → Korean: 무비 (mubi)
• → Urdu: مُووِی (mūvī)
• → Yiddish: מוּווי (muvi)

• “movie n.”, in Green’s Dictionary of Slang, Jonathon Green, 2016–present

• Vimeo