Synonyms

viewfinder

American

[vyoo-fahyn-der] / ˈvjuˌfaɪn dər /

noun

Photography.

finder.

viewfinder British

/ ˈvjuːˌfaɪndə /

noun

Sometimes shortened to: finder. a device on a camera, consisting of a lens system and sometimes a ground-glass screen, enabling the user to see what will be included in his photograph

"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 viewfinder

First recorded in 1890–95; view + finder

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:

viewfinder

You should not use binoculars, telescopes or the viewfinder of a camera even with your eclipse glasses on, because their magnifying effect can nullify the protection of the glasses and damage your sight.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026

Was he so concerned with capturing his son’s malaise that he missed details he might’ve seen if one eye weren’t looking through the viewfinder?

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

When on his lunch break, he takes snapshots of trees without looking through the viewfinder.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 15, 2024

That day, something exciting appeared on the viewfinder of Gauna's drone camera.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 29, 2024

Her right eye had peered through the viewfinder while her index finger had hovered next to the shutter release button.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023