Webcam
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
- 1 A video camera whose output may be viewed in real time over a computer network, originally the World Wide Web.
"And while the Webcams focused on street scenes and other public gathering spots do seem to occupy an uncertain status as a new medium, they perhaps raise an ethical question: Is this the cinéma vérité of cyberspace or is it private surveillance?"
- 2 a digital camera designed to take digital photographs and transmit them over the internet wordnet
- 1 To take part in a video communication using a webcam. intransitive
"I got on his computer and wrote the note. I swear there was nothing on his screen like he was webcamming with her but she must have been recording."
- 2 To film and broadcast with a webcam. transitive
"We should webcam it."
Example
More examples"A bug on the Macintosh version of the Flash software allows malicious websites to covertly eavesdrop on visitors using their webcam and microphone."
Etymology
From Web + cam, shortened from camera.
Related phrases
More for "webcam"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.