photography

noun

pho·​tog·​ra·​phy fə-ˈtä-grə-fē How to pronounce photography (audio)
: the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (such as film or an optical sensor)

Examples of photography in a Sentence

He studied both film and still photography. Landscape photography is her hobby.
Recent Examples on the Web
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The Irish production and distribution shingle, which specializes in horror and adjacent genre movies, is handling worldwide sales on the film, which recently wrapped principal photography. — Ed Meza, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026 The iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max push the boundaries of what mobile phones can do, such as handling on-device Siri AI calculations and running computational photography algorithms to deliver the best possible images. — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026 Getty provides wire service photography and video to news outlets and businesses globally, including most red carpets and film festival premieres. — Erik Hayden, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026 The question of photography and surveillance is, if not an old one, certainly a familiar one. — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for photography

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photography was in 1839

Phrases Containing photography

Rhymes for photography

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Browse Nearby Words

photographist
photography
photogravure
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Cite this Entry

“Photography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photography. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

photography

noun
pho·​tog·​ra·​phy fə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce photography (audio)
: the art or process of making pictures by means of a camera that directs the image of an object onto a surface (as film) that is sensitive to light

More from Merriam-Webster on photography

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photography

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