photograph
FOH-tuh-grahf
Photograph (noun) means an image captured using a camera. Example: “The photograph on the mantelpiece shows our whole family on the beach.”
noun
1
An image captured using a camera.
"The photograph on the mantelpiece shows our whole family on the beach."
"Could you email me the photograph you took at the party last night?"
"He kept an old photograph of his parents on the wedding day."
verb
1
To take a picture of someone or something with a camera.
"The wedding guests were photographed outside the church in the sunshine."
"I love to photograph birds early in the morning when the light is soft."
"She photographed the eclipse through a special filter."
"As the game worlds we explore have become more beautiful, players have become more interested in photographing them and sharing the results."
— Jordan Erica Webber, Point and shoot: what's next for photography in video games? (2019)
How to use photograph
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA picture taken with a camera, or the act of taking one.
Common pairings
take a photograph
photograph someone
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Word forms
- Plural
- photographs
- Third person singular
- photographs
- Past tense
- photographed
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ on the mantelpiece shows our whole family on the beach.
Etymology
From "photo-" ("light") plus "-graph" ("writing" or "drawing"), literally "drawing with light."
Related words
Rhymes for photograph
See all rhymes for photograph →Frequently asked questions
What does “photograph” mean?
The word “photograph” means an image captured using a camera. In plain terms, a picture taken with a camera, or the act of taking one.
How do you pronounce “photograph”?
“Photograph” is pronounced FOH-tuh-grahf (/ˈfoʊ.təˌɡɹæf/ in IPA).
How do you use “photograph” in a sentence?
Here is “photograph” used in a sentence: “He kept an old photograph of his parents on the wedding day.”
What part of speech is “photograph”?
Depending on how it is used, “photograph” can be a noun and a verb.
Is “photograph” a common word?
“Photograph” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
How many meanings does “photograph” have?
“Photograph” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an image captured using a camera.
What is the difference between a "photograph" and a "picture"?
A "photograph" is specifically an image captured using a camera, while "picture" is a broader term that also includes drawings, paintings, and other images. Every photograph is a picture, but not every picture is a photograph.
Is "photograph" a noun or a verb?
It can be both. As a noun it means an image captured with a camera, and as a verb it means to take a picture of someone or something with a camera, as in "they photographed the wedding."
What is the difference between "photograph" and "photo"?
"Photo" is simply the shortened, informal version of "photograph." The two mean the same thing, but "photograph" sounds more formal and "photo" is more common in casual speech.
How does "photograph" change when used as a verb in the past tense?
As a verb, "photograph" becomes "photographed" in the past tense, as in "she photographed the sunset." The present participle is "photographing."
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