shutter

1 of 2

noun

shut·​ter ˈshə-tər 

1

: one that shuts

2

: a usually movable cover or screen for a window or door

3

: a mechanical device that limits the passage of light

especially : a camera component that allows light to enter by opening and closing an aperture

4

: the movable louvers in a pipe organ by which the swell box is opened

shutterless

ˈshə-tər-ləs 

adjective

shutter

2 of 2

verb

shuttered; shuttering; shutters

transitive verb

1

: to close by or as if by shutters

corporations shuttering their production plants

2

: to furnish with shutters

Examples of shutter in a Sentence

Verb

They locked the doors and shuttered the windows.

They declared bankruptcy and shuttered the store.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The news comes as powerhouses like David Zwirner and Pace, alongside a cohort of small and midsize galleries, shutter locations and cut staff and artists to contend with a turbulent art market. — News Desk, Artforum, 7 Aug. 2026

Another woman, who was hospitalized in central France, in 2018, told me that she was placed in a dark room for eight days, and prevented from turning on the light or opening the shutters. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2026

Verb

When San Jose Unified School District decided to shutter five elementary schools earlier this year, officials made several promises to ensure a smooth transition for families with students set to attend new campuses. — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026

Los Angeles film fans rejoiced last month with the news that the Cinerama Dome and Arclight Cinemas venue in Hollywood — which have been shuttered since the start of the pandemic — would finally reopen. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1826, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for shutter

• butter
• clutter
• cutter
• flutter
• gutter
• mutter
• nutter
• putter
• rutter
• sputter
• stutter
• utter

Kids Definition

shutter

1 of 2 noun

shut·​ter ˈshət-ər 

1

: a movable cover for a window that swings on hinges like a door

2

: a device in a camera that opens to allow light to enter when a picture is taken

shutter

2 of 2 verb

: to close with or by shutters

kept the house shuttered