mug shot

or mugshot

noun

, Slang.

1. 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.
2. any closeup photograph of someone's face.

mug shot

noun

1. informal.
   a photograph of a person's face, esp one resembling a police-file picture

Word History and Origins

Origin of mug shot¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Usually, it uploaded mug shots of residents arrested on charges of trespassing or drug possession.

From ProPublica

Many of the documents have mug shots and pictures taken off social media showing people flashing gang signs.

From Washington Post

Traditional facial recognition systems only compare photos to official photos from driver’s licenses, passports or jail mug shots.

From Washington Post

Last month, Vice published mug shots of women arrested in Australia also modified by Loughrey, both by adding color and changing facial expressions to show some of them smiling.

From Washington Post

Maybe more importantly, if you click over to look at the image search results, there are no mug shots.

From Fortune

To this day, Bush media maven Roger Ailes adamantly denies that he or the campaign had any role in the Willie Horton mug shot ad.

From The Daily Beast

Beside the mug shot of McCollum was one of a man named Wayne Laws.

From The Daily Beast

When he turned himself in, he wore a smirk in his mug shot, and then he went out for ice cream with reporters in tow.

From The Daily Beast

After getting his mug shot taken, for example, he went out for ice cream.

From The Daily Beast

In fact, after the mug shot was taken this week, Perry immediately went out for ice cream, which he boasted about on Twitter.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• mug