paparazzo

noun

pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
: 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 Amid the rabid fans and frenzied media coverage, in one scene, a horde of cameras and paparazzi envelop the car Beckham is driving in along with his wife and young family. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023 In the video taken by a paparazzi—which did raise some skeptical eyebrows online—Garner can be seen exiting her vehicle to help the unidentified man into a pair of socks before offering him her own shoes from her feet. Glamour, 18 Sep. 2023 Zoe Kravitz opted for a white Saint Laurent tank dress that shimmered under the paparazzi flashbulbs, while Kim Kardashian delivered a pink sequined turtleneck gown by Balenciaga. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 17 Sep. 2023 Britney Spears has shared her thoughts on paparazzi footage that recently surfaced of her dancing at a bar in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Christi Carras, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2023 The most paparazzi had previously captured of them is photos of Jenner’s car at Chalamet’s house. Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 5 Sep. 2023 Some of Fairweather's friends were even approached by the paparazzi who offered financial compensation to disclose her address to them. Isiah Magsino, Town & Country, 24 Aug. 2023 Actors playing photographers for the scene and also real paparazzi snapped away upon her arrival. Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 11 Sep. 2023 There were paparazzi everywhere that were causing bottlenecks and actual physical encounters with the public figures, distracting the TSA officers. Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paparazzo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of paparazzo was in 1961

Dictionary Entries Near paparazzo

Cite this Entry

“Paparazzo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paparazzo. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

paparazzo

noun
pa·​pa·​raz·​zo ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sō How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
plural paparazzi ˌpä-pə-ˈrät-(ˌ)sē How to pronounce paparazzo (audio)
: a freelance photographer who aggressively pursues celebrities for the purpose of taking candid photographs

More from Merriam-Webster on paparazzo

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