cinephile means an enthusiast of films and the cinema. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
cinephile is pronounced /ˈsɪnɪfɑɪl/.
Why “cinephile” is a great word
CINEPHILE — [Noun] A person with a passionate and knowledgeable enthusiasm for the art of film and cinema. From French cinéphile, from ciné- (a combining form from cinéma, 'cinema') + -phile (from Greek -philos, 'loving, dear'). First attested in English circa 1965. Unlike a "moviegoer," who primarily attends screenings, or a "film critic," who professionally analyzes, the cinephile is defined by a personal, almost devotional compulsion to consume and contemplate the medium. It is the tactile ritual of threading a 16mm projector, the obsessive cross-referencing of a director's thematic obsessions across decades, and the hushed reverence in a repertory theater's darkness—a private faith in the fleeting cathedrals of light and shadow.
noun
- An enthusiast of films and the cinema.“The gulf between cinephiles and the public has grown wide. There are pictures that make a lot of money, but seldom win big Oscars or attract young people to the show”