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
videotaped; videotaping; videotapes
: to make a videotape of
videotape a show
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
Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
There’s a videotape of a memorial award show from the gay adult industry in the early ’90s.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Thanks to a crazily unlikely accident, the researchers had witnessed a sperm-whale birth and had managed to videotape the entire event.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for videotape
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Noun
The younger Altman was ousted in February 1998 for failing to tell his superiors about the existence of a controversial videotape that showed firefighters drinking beer and using racial slurs at a firehouse retirement party, the Tribune previously reported.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
There’s a videotape of a memorial award show from the gay adult industry in the early ’90s.
—Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 10 Mar. 2026
Verb
The 37-year-old Sacramento man was arrested on suspicion of three counts of eavesdropping, a felony charge, along with 12 counts of misdemeanor photographing or videotaping an undressed person in a private area, jail records show.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Mar. 2026
Thanks to a crazily unlikely accident, the researchers had witnessed a sperm-whale birth and had managed to videotape the entire event.
—Elizabeth Kolbert, New Yorker, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for videotape
Cite this Entry
“Videotape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/videotape. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids 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
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