photography

noun

pho·​tog·​ra·​phy fə-ˈtä-grə-fē How to pronounce photography (audio)
: the art or process of producing images by the action of radiant energy and especially light on a sensitive surface (such as film or an optical sensor)

Examples of photography in a Sentence

He studied both film and still photography. Landscape photography is her hobby.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What matters is not whether the work belongs to fashion, art, documentary, photography, or video. — Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026 Steinem’s influence touched many points, particularly art, photography, and popular culture. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026 On their Yelp review page, there’s still photos of their old menu, which features generic food photography and text describing the contents of each sandwich. — Alyssa Goldberg, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 For much of the following century, food photography functioned as a sort of ethnographic art, a form of restrained realism preoccupied with light and shadow, shape and symbolism. — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for photography

Word History

First Known Use

1839, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photography was in 1839

Phrases Containing photography

Rhymes for photography

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Browse Nearby Words

photographist
photography
photogravure
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Cite this Entry

“Photography.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photography. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

photography

noun
pho·​tog·​ra·​phy fə-ˈtäg-rə-fē How to pronounce photography (audio)
: the art or process of making pictures by means of a camera that directs the image of an object onto a surface (as film) that is sensitive to light

More from Merriam-Webster on photography

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photography

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