video

video — noun

1. a digital computer file or a physical recording that captures images with moveme

1.nounA1
Definition

a digital computer file or a physical recording that captures images with movement and sound, designed to be viewed on a screen

Example

Ife put a short video of her baby on social media for relatives to see.

video of + noun / on social media

The history teacher showed the class a video about ancient Roman daily life.

Common collocations
  • watch a video
  • upload a video
  • share a video
  • video clip
  • video file
  • record a video
Synonyms
  • clip

    usually shorter and often a segment cut from a longer recording

  • footage

    raw or unedited video material, often from a news or documentary source

  • film

    longer and more cinematic; often implies a narrative movie rather than a casual recording

Grammar Patterns

a video of + noun

on video

watch / upload / share a video

2. a short film produced to accompany a popular song, typically showing the musicia

2.nounA2
Definition

a short film produced to accompany a popular song, typically showing the musicians performing or telling a visual story based on the lyrics

Example

Quan's favourite band released a new music video at midnight on Tuesday.

release a music video

The music video for that song was shot entirely in black and white.

music video + for [song]

Common collocations
  • music video
  • promotional video
  • film a music video
  • music video director
Synonyms
  • promo video

    more general promotional clip, not limited to music

  • visual album

    a full collection of music videos forming a single artistic work

Grammar Patterns

music video + for + noun

release / film a music video

3. a machine, now less common, that records and plays television programmes using m

3.nounB1
Definition

a machine, now less common, that records and plays television programmes using magnetic tape inside a cassette

Example

Christopher set the video to record the late-night documentary about penguins.

set the video to record [programme]

Inês pressed play on the video and the whole family watched the film together.

Common collocations
  • set the video
  • video recorder
  • video cassette
  • programme the video
Synonyms
  • VCR

    the formal abbreviation; equally dated

  • cassette recorder

    emphasises the tape medium rather than the machine itself

Grammar Patterns

set the video + to-infinitive

on video

Usage Note

This sense is increasingly rare in everyday speech, as streaming services and digital recorders have largely replaced videocassette recorders. It is still found in older British English usage ('set the video').

video — adjective

video — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While all four words refer to recorded moving images, they differ in scope and typical use. 'Video' is the broadest everyday term for any digital or taped recording, from a short phone clip to a full documentary. 'Clip' suggests a short, often extracted segment—a highlight from a longer video or film. 'Footage' is uncountable and refers to raw or unedited material, especially from news, surveillance, or documentary sources ('archival footage', 'security camera footage'). 'Film' traditionally meant a cinematic work shot on celluloid, but now overlaps with 'video' in digital contexts; it still carries a more artistic or narrative connotation than the neutral 'video'. 'Movie' is informal American English for a feature-length narrative film shown in theatres or at home. For everyday use, choose 'video' for personal recordings and online content, 'film' or 'movie' for entertainment with a storyline, and 'clip' for short excerpts.

clip ↗footage ↗film ↗movie ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • video game
  • video camera
  • video footage
  • video clip
  • video streaming
  • video content
  • video production

Phrases

  • in real time over video
  • via video link
  • through a video feed

Prepositions

  • on video
  • in a video
  • by video

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Borrowed directly from Latin 'video' meaning 'I see' (first-person singular present indicative of 'vidēre' = to see). The word entered English in the 1930s as a technical term for the visual part of television broadcasts, later expanding to cover recording and playback technology, and ultimately any digital moving-image content. The verb sense emerged in the 1980s alongside the spread of home video cameras and VCRs.