videotape

1 of 2

noun

vid·​eo·​tape ˈvi-dē-ō-ˌtāp 

: a recording of visual images and sound (as of a television production) made especially formerly on magnetic tape

also : the medium used for such a recording

videotape

2 of 2

verb

videotaped; videotaping; videotapes

transitive verb

: to make a videotape of

videotape a show

Synonyms of videotape

Noun

• video
• tape

Examples of videotape in a Sentence

Noun

I watched the movie on videotape.

watched a videotape of her daughter's first ballet recital

Verb

They videotaped the baby's first steps.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Living among vinyl records, books and videotapes – relics of a life once fully lived — Al finds his fragile balance shattered when a real estate company targets his home for demolition, forcing him to confront both material and emotional dispossession. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 20 Jan. 2026

Then these first three episodes are whiplash with them back in college, leading up to this videotape recording in episode three. —Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 14 Jan. 2026

Verb

Taking a cell phone out and videotaping what's going on is not enforcement. —CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026

There are still plenty of squalid encampments to be videotaped and featured on ads attacking a potential presidential candidate named Newsom two years hence. —Dan Walters, Mercury News, 16 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1953, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing videotape

• videotape recorder

Rhymes for videotape

• cityscape
• agape
• escape
• landscape
• lenape
• reshape
• seascape
• soundscape
• ape
• cape
• crape
• crepe

Kids Definition

videotape

1 of 2 noun

vid·​eo·​tape ˈvid-ē-ō-ˌtāp 

: a recording of visual images and sound (as of a television production) made on magnetic tape

also : the magnetic tape used for such a recording

videotape

2 of 2 verb

: to make a videotape of

videotape a show