screenshot

screenshot — noun

1. a single static picture that captures the exact contents visible on a phone, tab

1.nounB1
Definition

a single static picture that captures the exact contents visible on a phone, tablet, or computer display at a given instant

Example

Mayumi sent her friend a screenshot of the error message on her laptop.

send + screenshot + of [something]

The teacher asked students to include a screenshot of their completed quiz score.

Common collocations
  • take a screenshot
  • send a screenshot
  • save a screenshot
  • share a screenshot
  • screenshot of
Synonyms
  • screen capture

    more formal or technical term, often used in software documentation

  • screencap

    informal abbreviation, common in online discussions

  • screen grab

    less common; sometimes used interchangeably but technically refers to a video frame capture

Grammar Patterns

screenshot of + [noun phrase]

Usage Note

Countable noun; commonly paired with 'of' to specify the screen content that was captured. 'Screenshot' is now the standard spelling — the older two-word form 'screen shot' is rarely used.

Common Mistakes

I sent a screen shot of the map.
I sent a screenshot of the map.
the one-word form 'screenshot' is the modern standard spelling.

screenshot — verb

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Screenshot' is the standard everyday term for a still image of a digital screen, used across formal and informal contexts. 'Screen capture' is more technical and appears in software menus and official documentation — it can also include video recording, unlike 'screenshot.' 'Screencap' is a casual abbreviation common in forums and social media, while 'screen grab' overlaps but sometimes refers to a single frame extracted from a video. For everyday needs, 'screenshot' is the safest choice: 'Can you send me a screenshot of the error?' sounds natural everywhere, whereas 'screen capture' would feel overly formal in a text message.

screenshot ↗screen capturescreencapscreen grab

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • take a screenshot
  • save a screenshot
  • share a screenshot

Prepositions

Etymology

English (screen)English (shot)English (screenshot)

A compound word formed from 'screen' (the display surface of a computer or device) and 'shot' (a single photographic image), dating from the early 1980s as personal computers with graphical displays became common. The term was modeled on older compounds like 'snapshot' and originally appeared as two words ('screen shot') before the one-word form became standard.