camera obscura

noun

cam·​era ob·​scu·​ra ˈkam-rə-əb-ˈskyu̇r-ə How to pronounce camera obscura (audio)
ˈka-mə-rə-
: a darkened enclosure having an aperture usually provided with a lens through which light from external objects enters to form an image of the objects on the opposite surface

Examples of camera obscura in a Sentence

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Credit Learoyd’s unique approach to the camera obscura—here, a painstakingly elaborate process of his own design that gives his images a depth that tempts touch. — Sheldon Pearce, The New Yorker, 21 Mar. 2025 Kepler’s drawings were made using a camera obscura, a device that utilized a small hole in the wall of the instrument to project the sun’s image on a sheet of paper. — Cnn, The Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, dark chamber

First Known Use

1716, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of camera obscura was in 1716

Rhymes for camera obscura

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Browse Nearby Words

cameraman
camera obscura
cameraperson
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Cite this Entry

“Camera obscura.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/camera%20obscura. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about camera obscura

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