videotape

1 of 2

noun

vid·​eo·​tape ˈvi-dē-ō-ˌtāp How to pronounce videotape (audio)
: a recording of visual images and sound (as of a television production) made on magnetic tape
also : the magnetic tape used for such a recording

videotape

2 of 2

verb

videotaped; videotaping; videotapes

transitive verb

: to make a videotape of
videotape a show

Examples of videotape in a Sentence

Noun I watched the movie on videotape. watched a videotape of her daughter's first ballet recital Verb They videotaped the baby's first steps.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The inadvertent launch of the saucer was caught on videotape, as was the panic after Falcon’s older brother, Bradford, yelled that the 6-year-old could not be located. Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 18 July 2025 Combs’ defense team freely admitted that his relationship with Ventura was violent, as seen in an infamous 2016 videotape of Combs beating Ventura in an elevator lobby at the InterContinental hotel in Los Angeles. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2025
Verb
Entire games were videotaped to obtain evidence in case of a rules dispute. Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 16 July 2025 Lander was videotaped asking authorities for a judicial warrant and holding on to a man agents were looking to detain before being arrested himself. Solcyré Burga, Time, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for videotape

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1953, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of videotape was in 1953

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Cite this Entry

“Videotape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/videotape. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

videotape

1 of 2 noun
vid·​eo·​tape ˈvid-ē-ō-ˌtāp How to pronounce videotape (audio)
: a recording of visual images and sound (as of a television production) made on magnetic tape
also : the magnetic tape used for such a recording

videotape

2 of 2 verb
: to make a videotape of
videotape a show

More from Merriam-Webster on videotape

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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