photo

¹

[foh-toh]

noun

plural

photos 

1. photograph.

2. Informal.,  photo finish.

photo-

²

1. a combining form meaning “light” (photobiology ); also used to represent “photographic” or “photograph” in the formation of compound words.

   photocopy.

photo

¹

/ ˈfəʊtəʊ /

noun

1. short for photograph

photo-

²

combining form

1. of, relating to, or produced by light

   photosynthesis

2. indicating a photographic process

   photolithography

photo–

1. A prefix that means “light,” as in photoreceptor.

Word History and Origins

Origin of photo¹

First recorded in 1855–60; shortened form of photograph

Origin of photo²

< Greek, combining form of phôs (genitive phōtós )

Word History and Origins

Origin of photo¹

from Greek phōs, phōt- light

Example Sentences

Deandre Ayton warmed up for Sunday’s game wearing a black T-shirt with a photo of half of his face printed next to half of a lion’s.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Guidelines warn they might try to upload fake IDs or use AI to make their photos appear older.

Read more on Barron's

After her first book was published, an old black-and-white photo was posted on social media by a man she didn’t know.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

With recent leaps in AI, could our streak of flawed family photos come to an end?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

She showed me a photo of her three children.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• account 
• art 
• cartoon 
• copy 
• depiction 
• description 
• drawing 
• figure 
• icon 
• image 
• impression 
• painting 
• photograph 
• piece 
• portrait 
• portrayal 
• print 
• report 
• sketch 
• statue