paparazzi

American  

[pah-puh-raht-see, pah-pah-raht-tsee] / ˌpɑ pəˈrɑt si, ˌpɑ pɑˈrɑt tsi /

plural noun

1. freelance photographers, especially those who take candid pictures of celebrities for publication.

   To evade the paparazzi, the actress sent her car to the front entrance and snuck in the back on foot.

   I felt like a paparazzo as I hung around waiting to catch a glimpse of the singer.

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Etymology

Origin of paparazzi

First recorded in 1965–70; from Italian, from the surname of such a photographer in Federico Fellini's ( def. ) La dolce vita (1959), of disputed origin

Example Sentences

In 2011, Spelling was involved in a crash with her children in a vehicle that she said was prompted by paparazzi.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

In addition to the emotional space that Nashville afforded her, there was another very exciting upside to living in the Tennessee city that Simpson enjoyed: no paparazzi.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

Both brothers’ decisions are driven in part by an identical desire: to avoid inflicting on their own families a repeat of their own childhood trauma of seeing their mother chased to her death by paparazzi.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

She said while paparazzi culture exists everywhere, the tone of Britain's response feels different.

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

Would you rather have the paparazzi follow you around every minute of your life or never have anyone speak to you again?

From "P.S. I Miss You" by Jen Petro-Roy