mug shot
Americannoun
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Also called headshot. an identifying photograph of a suspect or criminal, often one of a set showing a frontal view, a profile view, and a view of the back of the head.
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any closeup photograph of someone's face.
noun
Etymology
Origin of mug shot
First recorded in 1945–50
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.
“He was arrested late in the day, so I imagine he was up the entire night, but that mug shot just looked so different from the pictures I had in high school,” Pulgarin said.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
The mug shot, taken in 2023, became part of US culture, adorning everything from coffee cups to T-shirts.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025
In his mug shot, the photographer George Steinmetz doesn’t seem especially threatening.
From New York Times • Nov. 23, 2024
Pieces of his mug shot suit!—is a bit of a homegrown monster.
From Slate • Jul. 19, 2024
He standardized the mug shot and crime scene photography, achievements which alone would have secured his name in police history.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
