paparazzo

noun

pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō 

plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē 

: 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

Tucked away in the Colorado mountains with nary a red carpet or paparazzo in sight, the low-key film festival doesn’t announce its lineup until the day before opening and surprise additions have long been a fixture of the event. — Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Soon after the ceremony, Kloss, who had a brief falling out then rapprochement with the Grammy winner, jetted to Paris Fashion Week, where a curious paparazzo from gossip page Deux Moi had to inquire. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 6 July 2026

Lena Dunham was spotted in the back of an SUV, while producer Jack Antonoff was photographed by paparazzi stepping out in an oversized black blazer and matching slacks. — Bryan West, USA Today, 4 July 2026

Dua Lipa married actor Callum Turner on Saturday, June 6 in Sicily, Italy, a ceremony that was closely guarded from onlookers and paparazzi. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 20 June 2026

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

Rhymes for paparazzo

• palazzo
• terrazzo

Kids Definition

paparazzo

noun

pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō 

plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē 

: a freelance photographer who aggressively pursues celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs