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autofocus

American

[aw-toh-foh-kuhs] / ˈɔ toʊˌfoʊ kəs /

Or auto-focus

adjective

having the ability to focus automatically.

an autofocus lens; an autofocus camera.

noun

such an ability.

autofocus British

/ ˈɔːtəʊˌfəʊkəs /

noun

another name for automatic focus

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of autofocus

First recorded in 1955–60; auto- ³ + focus

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The skill level required was greater when I was starting out 50 years ago without autofocus and limited film in the camera.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Most smartphone cameras released in the past five years are equipped with tiny lasers to improve functions like autofocus, and lidar-scanning apps simply repurpose these existing features.

From Slate • Jul. 25, 2025

Overall, the rover continues to operate well, although an arm-mounted instrument that can detect organic molecules has been offline for 2 months, with problems including a malfunctioning autofocus.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 13, 2024

But in the under $1,000 range, The Strategist’s Steven John recommends the Sony Alpha A6000 Mirrorless Digital Camera for its versatility and superfast autofocus abilities, among other things.

From Seattle Times • May 8, 2023

It gets a camera autofocus test by bringing a grid of white lights into focus, and another robot presses its side keys repeatedly — kind of rude, really.

From The Verge • Aug. 26, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023