home video

noun

plural home videos

1

: a homemade video (see video entry 1 sense 1) that is not usually intended for commercial release or distribution

We showed our friends home videos of our vacation in the Caribbean.

People are consuming millions of hours of shaky, selfie-quality home video on their phones every day.

—Karen Bussone

… make a home video, using a cell phone or camera, of yourself performing your selection.

—The Brunswick Beacon (Shallotte, North Carolina)

2

: prerecorded video (see video entry 1 sense 1a) marketed for home viewing

The popular TV series … returns to home video with the DVD and Blu-ray releases of … Season Three.

—Mike Spring

It's not clear when other [streaming] platforms will add season four, but it usually takes several months for new seasons to receive a home video release …

—Business Insider US

Examples of home video in a Sentence

the latest releases in home video

We watched a home video of their wedding.

Recent Examples on the Web

The new season will place an emphasis on suspense, dread and psychological terror, and expand the use of archival materials, photographs, home videos and social content. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Oct. 2026

Drawing on personal archives, home videos, footage of street protests, newspapers and recorded voices, the filmmaker pieces together a portrait of a country shaped by political repression and a continuing hope for revolution. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2026

The often-handheld camerawork creates the sensation of watching old home videos, even if most of these encounters don’t seem worthy of documentation. — Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Using archival footage, personal photos, and rare home videos contributed by fans and friends, Norm aims to showcase Macdonald’s unique genius and his lasting influence on the world of comedy. — Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined at sense 2