- short for photograph
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pho•to /ˈfoʊtoʊ/USA pronunciation n. [countable], pl. -tos.
photo-, prefix.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a photograph.
photo-, prefix.
- Photographyphoto- comes from Greek, where it has the meaning "light'':photo- + biology → photobiology;photo- + -on → photon (= elementary "particle'' of light).This prefix also means "photographic'' or "photograph'':photo- + copy → photocopy.
pho•to
(fō′tō),USA pronunciation n., pl. -tos.
photo-,
- Photographyphotograph.
- [Informal.]See photo finish.
- shortened form of photograph 1855–60
photo-,
- Photographya combining form meaning "light'' (photobiology);
also used to represent "photographic'' or "photograph'' in the formation of compound words:photocopy.
- Greek, combining form of phôs (genitive phōtós)
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
photo /ˈfəʊtəʊ/ n ( pl -tos)