paparazzi

American  

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

plural noun

singular

paparazzo

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

The “Hot to Go!” hitmaker has been vocal in the past about setting boundaries with fans and paparazzi, as well as her complicated relationship with fame.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

“And then … you’d come home and paparazzi and all the sort of the trappings of, you know, living in that space.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 4, 2026

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

From BBC • Feb. 27, 2026

It delves into the couple’s whirlwind romance, the unrelenting paparazzi and public scrutiny, their rumored family tensions and the events that led up to their deaths.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

"I'm space paparazzi now. The attitude comes with the job."

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir