Snapshot
'snæpʃɒt
Definitions
3 meaningsA photograph taken quickly, often without much preparation.
'snæpʃɒt
A photograph taken quickly or spontaneously.
He keeps a collection of snapshots of his travels.
💡 Simply: A picture you take quickly, like when you want to remember something that's happening right now. Imagine you see a funny dog and quickly take a picture!
👶 For kids: A quick picture!
More Examples
I took a snapshot of the kids playing in the park.
The camera produced a blurry snapshot due to the movement.
How It's Used
"She took a snapshot of the sunset."
"I love looking at old family snapshots."
A brief, readily available, and often incomplete look at a situation, condition, or state.
'snæpʃɒt
A brief view or summary of a situation.
The news article gives a snapshot of the political climate.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're looking at a quick summary of something. Like a quick look at how well your team is doing or a quick look at your bank account.
👶 For kids: A quick look at what's happening.
More Examples
The audit provided a financial snapshot of the organization.
We need to get a snapshot of their current needs.
How It's Used
"The report provides a snapshot of the company's financial performance."
"The program created a snapshot of the system's current state."
To take a photograph quickly and without elaborate preparation.
'snæpʃɒt
To take a photograph quickly.
She snapped a picture of the birds at the feeder.
💡 Simply: To take a quick picture, usually with a camera or your phone.
👶 For kids: To take a quick photo!
More Examples
He snapped the moment before it was lost.
Can you snap a photo of us?
How It's Used
"I snapped the kids playing in the garden."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
snapshot in time
A representation of something at a particular moment; capturing the essence or character of a period or event.
"The photograph is a snapshot in time, reflecting the fashion trends of the 1950s."
From "snap" (to take quickly) + "shot" (a photograph). Coined in the late 19th century with the advent of photography.
The term 'snapshot' gained popularity with the invention and widespread use of handheld cameras in the late 19th century. The sense of a quick capture, without formal posing, became part of the word's definition.
Memory tip
Think of taking a quick 'snap' of a moment with a 'shot'.
Word Origin
"A quick, sudden action, or the capturing of an image quickly."