Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

focal-plane shutter

noun

Definition of focal-plane shutter

: a camera shutter used chiefly for instantaneous exposures in which a slit in an opaque curtain is passed directly across and in front of the film near the focal plane, the width of the slit and the speed of its movement determining the duration of the exposure

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Learn More about focal-plane shutter

Share focal-plane shutter

Statistics for focal-plane shutter

Look-up Popularity

Comments on focal-plane shutter

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

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

teetotaler

someone who never drinks alcohol

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
Citation

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games