kino

Kino is a term used in several languages to denote cinema or a movie theater. In German, Kino is the everyday word for cinema, as in Ich gehe ins Kino. In Russian, Polish, Czech, and other Slavic languages, the form kino also refers to films and the cinema experience, with related terms such as kinoteatr for a cinema theater and kinoindustriya for the film industry.

The word’s modern usage traces to the late 19th century, when it arose as a shortened form of Kinematograph in German, itself borrowed from Greek roots. The Greek element kinēma means “motion” and is the source of related terms such as cinema and cinematography. Through global cinema culture, the term Kino spread beyond German into many languages as a straightforward symbol of film.

In addition to its linguistic meaning, Kino appears as a proper name and is used in the titles of film venues, magazines, and brands in various countries. The term is sometimes adopted by cinemas or cultural institutions to signify a focus on film or moving images.

See also cinema, cinematography, and kinematography.