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noun Uncommon

videotape

Videotape (noun) means Magnetic tape used to record and play back moving pictures and sound. Example: “The old wedding footage was still on a videotape in the attic.”

noun
1
Magnetic tape used to record and play back moving pictures and sound.
"The old wedding footage was still on a videotape in the attic."
verb
1
To record something onto videotape, or more loosely, to record it on video.
"The interview was videotaped for the evening news."
"Parents videotaped the entire graduation ceremony."

How to use videotape

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe tape-based way people used to record video before digital recording took over.

UK vs US

The physical format is largely obsolete, but the verb "to videotape" survives informally for "record on video" even when no actual tape is involved.

Common pairings
videotape evidence on videotape

Word forms

videotaped past tense, videotapes plural, videotapes singular

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The old wedding footage was still on a _____ in the attic.

Etymology

A combination of "video" and "tape" — originally a trademark of the media company Ampex before it became a generic term.

Related words

Rhymes for videotape

See all rhymes for videotape →

Frequently asked questions

What does “videotape” mean?

The word “videotape” means magnetic tape used to record and play back moving pictures and sound. In plain terms, the tape-based way people used to record video before digital recording took over.

How do you use “videotape” in a sentence?

Here is “videotape” used in a sentence: “The old wedding footage was still on a videotape in the attic.”

What part of speech is “videotape”?

Depending on how it is used, “videotape” can be a noun and a verb.

Is “videotape” a common word?

“Videotape” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “videotape” have?

“Videotape” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: magnetic tape used to record and play back moving pictures and sound.

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