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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

Explanation

A stenographer is someone who types what people say. You have to listen carefully and type very fast to be a stenographer. On TV shows, you may have noticed someone typing everything the judge, lawyers, and witnesses say in a courtroom. That's the stenographer. To be a stenographer, you have to type or write quickly and be skilled at shorthand. The act of taking dictation is referred to as stenography. Like a photographer captures images, a stenographer captures words.

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Vocabulary lists containing stenographer

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.

The story of Stenographer Lauretta Young's mink coat was not exactly earthshaking, but at least it was almost understandable.

From Time Magazine Archive

He charged Stenographer Sittell with "insulting the Realmleader," clapped her into the village jail.

From Time Magazine Archive

"It gave me a minor education in finance and law," says Stenographer Pat Wickwire.

From Time Magazine Archive

Five-Year Plan pencil sharpeners, wrote Stenographer Ursula Hollman, produce nothing but "crooked points."

From Time Magazine Archive

I was invited the other day to take down, as Stenographer, what purported to be a discussion upon some general political topics, and more especially on the forthcoming presidential election.

From The Honest American Voter's Little Catechism for 1880 by Harding, Blythe

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