zoom

B2 Topic:Photography & Images

US /zuːm/ See IPA manual

Freq #8111

Meanings

1

verb
To move very fast, often with a humming sound.

We zoomed along the highway.
2

verb
To make a picture on a screen look larger or smaller.

Zoom in to read the small text on the map.
3

noun
The ability of a camera or lens to make a distant object look closer.

What's the zoom like on your camera?
4

verb
To rise sharply and quickly.

House prices zoomed during the boom.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with zoom

zoom in Phrasal verb B2

to focus attention closely on a particular detail

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to move very fast, often... speed

Word family

Forms zoomedzoomingzooms

Derived forms zoom-climbzoomy

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

zoom in
to focus attention closely on a particular detail

Verb + adverb

Simplified etymology

Zoom appeared in the mid-19th century as a sound-imitative word for something moving rapidly through the air, at about the same time and with the same sense as zip. Its later use for communication through the Zoom application is recorded from 2014.

Etymology

From Zoom, a videoconferencing software by Zoom Video Communications; renamed as such (from Saasbee) in May 2012 by Jim Scheinman after the American children's book Zoom City (1998) by Thacher Hurd for ostensibly encapsulating creativity, happiness and exploration. Scheinman had "been saving the name Zoom for a long time."

Topics

Photography & Images Actions & Processes

External links

# zoom

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /zuːm/
**Frequency rank:** 8111

## Meanings
1. To move very fast, often with a humming sound.
2. To make a picture on a screen look larger or smaller.
3. The ability of a camera or lens to make a distant object look closer.
4. To rise sharply and quickly.

## Examples
- We zoomed along the highway.
- Zoom in to read the small text on the map.
- What's the zoom like on your camera?
- House prices zoomed during the boom.

## Derived Forms
- zoom-climb
- zoomy

## Etymology
From Zoom, a videoconferencing software by Zoom Video Communications; renamed as such (from Saasbee) in May 2012 by Jim Scheinman after the American children's book Zoom City (1998) by Thacher Hurd for ostensibly encapsulating creativity, happiness and exploration. Scheinman had "been saving the name Zoom for a long time."

## AI Etymology
Zoom is from Zoom, a videoconferencing software by Zoom Video Communications; renamed as such (from Saasbee) in May 2012 by Jim Scheinman after the American children's book Zoom City (1998) by Thacher Hurd for ostensibly encapsulating creativity, happiness and exploration. Scheinman had "been saving the name Zoom for a long time." In present-day use, it can mean to move very fast, often with a humming sound, or to make a picture on a screen look larger or smaller. Derived formations include zoom-climb, zoomy.

## Topics
- Photography & Images
- Actions & Processes

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