1. Quizzes & Games
  2. Word of the Day
  3. Video
  4. New Words
 

photo finish


photo finish

noun

: a finish in a race in which the racers are so close that the judges have to look at a photograph of the racers crossing the finish line to see who has won

Full Definition of PHOTO FINISH

1
:  a race or finish in which contestants are so close that a photograph of them as they cross the finish line has to be examined to determine the winner
2
:  a close contest
See photo finish defined for English-language learners »
See photo finish defined for kids »

First Known Use of PHOTO FINISH

1936

Browse

Next Word in the Dictionary: photofinisher
Previous Word in the Dictionary: photofabrication
All Words Near: photo finish

Ask The Editor Videos

 
2014 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes
 
How the Months Got Their Names
 
Webster's Dictionary of 1864
 
Old-School Grammar
 
Schwa
 
That vs. Which
 
i.e. vs. e.g.
 
Longest Word in the Dictionary

Seen & Heard

What made you want to look up photo finish? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Test Your Vocabulary
Take Our 10-Question Quiz
Name That Thing
Take our visual vocabulary quiz
Test Your Knowledge »
True or False?
A quick quiz about stuff worth knowing
Take It Now »
Spell It
The commonly misspelled words quiz
Hear It, Spell It »