paparazzo

British  

/ ˌpæpəˈrætsəʊ /

noun

1. a freelance photographer who specializes in candid camera shots of famous people and often invades their privacy to obtain such photographs

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Etymology

Origin of paparazzo

C20: from Italian

Explanation

A paparazzo is a celebrity photographer. You might see a paparazzo snapping pictures of your favorite pop singer as she stands in line at McDonald's. A more common form of paparazzo is its plural, paparazzi. Either way, these nouns refer to photographers who photograph famous people and sell the photos to newspapers, magazines, and web sites. While there's no reason a paparazzo can't be respectful and professional, paparazzi are better known as obnoxious and pushy, invading celebrities' privacy in order to get candid pictures. The word comes from an Italian film, Fellini's "La Dolce Vita," and its photographer character, whose name is Paparazzo.

Example Sentences

Kirkland was not a paparazzo: Stars looked to him for portrayals of themselves that were distinctive and flattering.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

The veteran paparazzo said he decided to report the attack to police despite not being seriously injured.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 26, 2024

“With Kevin away so much, no one was around to see me spiral — except every paparazzo in America,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 2023

Yogen Shah, a veteran paparazzo, credits himself with starting the trend, when he took pictures of celebrities exiting their vehicles outside a party which was closed to photographers.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2023

Courteous and exuberant — he was no annoying paparazzo — Mr. Kirkland was welcomed into stars’ homes and hotel rooms and onto movie sets.

From New York Times • Oct. 9, 2022