shutter
Americannoun
-
a solid or louvered movable cover for a window.
-
a movable cover, slide, etc., for an opening.
-
a person or thing that shuts.
-
Photography. a mechanical device for opening and closing the aperture of a camera lens to expose film or the like.
verb (used with object)
-
to close or provide with shutters.
She shuttered the windows.
-
to close (a store or business operations) for the day or permanently.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a hinged doorlike cover, often louvred and usually one of a pair, for closing off a window
-
to close business at the end of the day or permanently
-
photog an opaque shield in a camera that, when tripped, admits light to expose the film or plate for a predetermined period, usually a fraction of a second. It is either built into the lens system or lies in the focal plane of the lens ( focal-plane shutter )
-
photog a rotating device in a film projector that permits an image to be projected onto the screen only when the film is momentarily stationary
-
music one of the louvred covers over the mouths of organ pipes, operated by the swell pedal
-
a person or thing that shuts
verb
-
to close with or as if with a shutter or shutters
-
to equip with a shutter or shutters
Synonym Usage
See curtain.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of shutter
Explanation
A shutter is a solid window covering that you close to block out light and open to let the sun shine in. Long ago, most houses had outdoor shutters that acted as an old-fashioned security system, as well as protection from sunlight and stormy weather. Many modern homes have decorative shutters that don't actually open and close. There's another kind of shutter inside your camera, which also opens and closes to let light through to capture a photographic image. Shutter dates from the 1720s, when it was short for window-shutters.
Vocabulary lists containing shutter
The School for Invisible Boys
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Superfudge
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Mid-Air
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
A metal shutter and two security gates were damaged in the incident, and police said the stores had underestimated the need for security.
From Barron's • May 16, 2026
The burger giant is the latest fast-food chain to shutter locations as the industry struggles with rising labor and real estate costs in the state.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
There was just the constant shutter of photographs being taken.
From Slate • Apr. 28, 2026
For one group of moms, the threatened Los Angeles Unified School District strike that would shutter campuses next week is provoking outright fear.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
From there he could see the bridge and most of the garden, and he watched as Lord Asriel leaned towards the shutter and spoke quietly.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
