paparazzo

noun

pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
: a freelance photographer who aggressively pursues celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs
a movie star surrounded by a swarm of paparazzi

Examples of paparazzo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web William’s mother, Princess Diana, died in a 1997 car accident while attempting to evade paparazzi in Paris. Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News, 29 Feb. 2024 Part of Harry’s wariness around paparazzi stems from the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, who had been vocal about her criticism of paparazzi. Jodi Guglielmi, Rolling Stone, 28 Feb. 2024 For the bulk of their relationship, the pair were busy trying to stay out of the spotlight and away from paparazzi. Collette Reitz, Peoplemag, 15 Feb. 2024 Affleck, while remaining an industry pillar, acquired a secondary reputation for his world-weary grimace, seen through the lenses of the paparazzi who haunted him still. Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 16 Feb. 2024 The short teaser offers glimpses of Abela's Winehouse performing to cheering crowds, being chased by the paparazzi and recording the movie's title song. USA TODAY, 11 Jan. 2024 Even the ensemble’s array of desperate journalists, paparazzi and showbiz hangers-on avoids being irritating. Zachary Pincus-Roth, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 Jolie also is often seen in public with the children, photographed by paparazzi while shopping or appearing together at red-carpet Hollywood events. Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2024 The rest of us may pull up to the TSA line in our sweats, but for those who are constantly being followed by fans and paparazzi, an elevated airport look is almost always a given. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 28 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paparazzo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from Paparazzo, surname of such a photographer in the film La dolce vita (1959) by Federico Fellini

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paparazzo was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near paparazzo

Cite this Entry

“Paparazzo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paparazzo. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

paparazzo

noun
pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
: a freelance photographer who aggressively pursues celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs

More from Merriam-Webster on paparazzo

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