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 suspension of maternal care at Roseland marks the fourth labor and delivery unit to shutter in the Chicago area this month. — Lauren Victory, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026

There's a lot to like about the 1080p/30fps webcam, which provides clear images in both bright and dark lighting conditions, and comes with a physical privacy shutter. — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

Verb

Jacquard was a technological leap, but its relatively simple input system meant its uses were incredibly barebones, andGoogle eventually shuttered Jacquard in 2023. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 28 Oct. 2026

Family Dollar, which shuttered in 2023, provided the neighborhood with low-cost goods, while Whole Foods Market is best known as a high-end grocer specializing in natural and organic foods. — Brian J. Rogal, Chicago Tribune, 27 Oct. 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