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screen reader

American  
[skreen ree-der] / ˈskrin ˌri dər /

noun

Digital Technology.
  1. a piece of software that renders visual data as synthesized speech or Braille.

    Your social media posts would be more accessible for blind people and others using screen readers if you’d just add alt text to your images.


Etymology

Origin of screen reader

First recorded in 1935–40 in the sense “a device for reading microfilm or microfiche”


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.

See Examples For:

For their youngest child, maternity notes came in an app which could be accessed with a screen reader on their phone, rather than being handwritten in the traditional NHS blue book.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

Apple has prioritized accessibility features for decades, with features such as the gesture-based screen reader VoiceOver and eye-tracking navigation.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 29, 2026

Indeed, if you’re listening to this on a screen reader, you’re enjoying digital accessibility, which was built on the foundation of usability for those with disabilities.

From Slate ● Apr. 4, 2026

The researchers previously developed interactive interfaces that provide a richer experience for screen reader users as they explore accessible data representations.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 27, 2024

He has a home setup where clients email him lines, which a screen reader says into his earpiece and which he then repeats into his microphone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 12, 2022

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