Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

cinematographer

American  
[sin-uh-muh-tog-ruh-fer] / ˌsɪn ə məˈtɒg rə fər /
especially British, cinematographist

noun

  1. a person whose profession is video photography, especially for feature-length movies.

  2. director of photography.


Etymology

Origin of cinematographer

First recorded in 1895–1900; cinematograph + -er 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Meanwhile, the vistas of Tau Ceti outside the window are intimidating and gorgeous, with cinematographer Greig Fraser indulging in showers of purple glitter.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Sinners cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw said she missed an important point during her speech when she became the first woman to win the award in Oscars history.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

A great cinematographer is a mechanic, a scientist, a technician, a chemist, a craftsperson and an artist.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

"Train Dreams" was filmed in Washington state and has so far won several prizes during Hollywood's awards season, especially for cinematographer Adolpho Veloso.

From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026

She knew her parents wanted her to study law, but she wanted to pursue filmmaking and be a cinematographer.

From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan