microfilm
Microfilm (noun) means a roll of film containing greatly reduced photographic copies of documents, once widely used for archiving. Example: “The old newspaper archives were stored on microfilm before being digitised.”
How to use microfilm
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old-fashioned way of storing documents as tiny photographs on a roll of film, largely replaced by digital scanning.
Word forms
microfilmed past tense, microfilms plural, microfilms singular
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The old newspaper archives were stored on _____ before being digitised.
Etymology
A compound of "micro-" (small) and "film," describing the miniature photographic copies used for compact document storage.
Frequently asked questions
What does “microfilm” mean?
The word “microfilm” means a roll of film containing greatly reduced photographic copies of documents, once widely used for archiving. In plain terms, an old-fashioned way of storing documents as tiny photographs on a roll of film, largely replaced by digital scanning.
How do you use “microfilm” in a sentence?
Here is “microfilm” used in a sentence: “The old newspaper archives were stored on microfilm before being digitised.”
What part of speech is “microfilm”?
Depending on how it is used, “microfilm” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “microfilm” have?
“Microfilm” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a roll of film containing greatly reduced photographic copies of documents, once widely used for archiving.
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