Viewer
/ˈvjuːər/
Definitions
2 meaningsA person who watches something, such as a television show, movie, or live event.
/ˈvjuːər/
A person who watches something, especially a television program or a film.
The documentary appealed to a wide range of viewers.
💡 Simply: A viewer is someone who's watching! Like, if you're watching a cool video online, you're a viewer. If you're watching a game, you're a viewer.
👶 For kids: A viewer is someone who is watching something like TV or a movie!
More Examples
The film was praised for its visual effects and captivated the viewers.
The number of viewers tuned in for the final episode increased.
How It's Used
"The show attracted millions of viewers."
"Moviegoers are loyal viewers of the director's work."
"The live stream had a large number of viewers."
A device or application used to display or inspect images, data, or information.
/ˈvjuːər/
A device for looking at images or data.
The photo editor included a built-in image viewer.
💡 Simply: Sometimes 'viewer' refers to a tool. Like, it's a program on your computer that lets you see pictures. Or it can be a special machine that lets you look at slides. You use the viewer to 'view' the image.
👶 For kids: Sometimes 'viewer' means a tool that helps you see pictures, like a screen on your phone or computer!
More Examples
The software has a document viewer function.
He loaded the negatives into a film viewer.
How It's Used
"Use the image viewer to preview the files."
"He looked through the slide viewer at his vacation photos."
Synonyms & Antonyms
Idioms & expressions
captive audience
An audience that is required to be present, or whose attention is difficult to avoid.
"The teacher had a captive audience in the classroom."
From Middle English *vīwer*, equivalent to view + -er. The term originally referred to someone who looks at something, expanding over time to include those watching a screen or attending a performance.
The word 'viewer' first appeared in English in the 14th century. Originally, it referred to someone who observes.
Memory tip
Think of someone at a *view*ing party, they are *viewers*.
Word Origin
"to see, to look"