scanning

The word “scanning” means the act of passing something through a scanner or examining it closely. In plain terms, the process of scanning something — digitizing it or reading over it quickly.

“Scanning” is pronounced SKA-nihng (/ˈskænɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “scanning” used in a sentence: “Scanning the old photographs took most of the afternoon.”

“Scanning” is a noun.

“Scanning” is an uncommon word in modern English.

"Scanning" refers to examining something quickly or passing it through a device like a scanner, often to check or capture information rather than absorb it fully. "Reading" typically implies a more thorough, word-by-word engagement with text, while scanning is faster and more surface-level or mechanical.

No, "scanning" can mean passing something through a physical scanner, such as a document or barcode scanner, but it can also mean examining something closely with the eyes, such as scanning a room or a page for specific information.

"Scanning" is used in contexts ranging from digitizing documents and images, to security screening at airports, to medical imaging, to simply glancing over text or a scene to spot something specific. The common thread is a quick, close examination rather than a slow, detailed one.