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stenographer

American  
[stuh-nog-ruh-fer] / stəˈnɒg rə fər /
Or stenographist

noun

  1. a person who specializes in taking dictation in shorthand.

stenographer British  
/ stəˈnɒɡrəfə /

noun

    1. Brit equivalent: shorthand typist.  a person skilled in the use of shorthand and in typing

    2. a peson with these skills whose job it is to record verbatim everything that is said during a court case

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of stenographer

An Americanism dating back to 1790–1800; stenograph + -er 1

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.

“We go from an investigative powerhouse to a stenographer for the state,” Alfonsi wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Rather, it belonged to a woman from Illinois with a versatile résumé that included writing, acting, engineering and working as a stenographer: Lizzie Magie.

From New York Times • Apr. 12, 2024

She worked as a stenographer for pay-as-you-go lessons.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2024

West also worries the increased record-keeping during the inquiry stage—including bringing in a stenographer to record testimony and labeling all evidence—could deter anyone coming forward with a complaint.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 28, 2023

I would buy their lunches, take their suits out to have them pressed, pay their light, telephone, and gas bills, and deliver notes for them to their stenographer girl friends in near-by office buildings.

From "Black Boy" by Richard Wright

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.