stenography

1 of 2

noun

ste·​nog·​ra·​phy stə-ˈnä-grə-fē 

1

: the art or process of writing in shorthand

2

: shorthand especially written from dictation or oral discourse

3

: the making of shorthand notes and subsequent transcription of them

stenographic

ˌste-nə-ˈgra-fik 

adjective

stenographically

ˌste-nə-ˈgra-fi-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

stenographic

2 of 2

adjective

steno·​graph·​ic ¦stenə¦grafik 

-fēk

variants or less commonly stenographical

-fə̇kəl, 

-fēk-

: of, relating to, or using stenography

stenographically

-k(ə)lē 

-li

adverb

Examples of stenography in a Sentence

Noun

Secretaries must be able to do stenography.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Anyone could learn to use the machine in two weeks or less, compared to months or years to master stenography. — IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2026

Intrigued, McKenna quickly registered for the National Court Reporter Association’s A to Z intro program, rented a stenography machine, and dove right in. — Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 18 May 2025

Over 25 months, the cost of professional services/fees for the Carolina Blue matter topped $500,000, according to documents obtained by The Athletic. Invoices in the Carolina Blue matter listed an additional $120,000 for court reporting, which is generally a reference to stenography services. — Brendan Marks, The Athletic, 12 Feb. 2025

His mother, Dorothy (Siegel) Gitlin, taught typing and stenography. — New York Times, 5 Feb. 2022

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

stenography + -ic, -ical

First Known Use

Noun

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

stenography

noun

ste·​nog·​ra·​phy stə-ˈnäg-rə-fē 

: the art or process of writing in shorthand

stenographic

ˌsten-ə-ˈgraf-ik 

adjective

stenographically

-ˈgraf-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb