Word
snapshot
Phoneticssnap·shot, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsnæpˌʃɑt/
UK/snˈæpʃɒt/
Definitions
01casual photograph
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun
n. a quick photograph, usually taken with a small camera and without much planning.
n. an informal photograph taken quickly, typically with a handheld camera and without professional staging.
“She showed me a few snapshots of her family at the beach.”
“The album was filled with candid snapshots that captured the spontaneous joy of the wedding reception better than the posed portraits.”
02brief overview
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a short description or piece of information that shows what a situation is like at a specific time.
n. a brief but representative summary or portrayal of a situation at a particular moment in time.
“The report provides a snapshot of the country's economy right now.”
“The documentary offers a fascinating snapshot of Berlin in the 1920s, highlighting the cultural tensions of the era.”
03computing data state
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a saved record of the state of a computer system or database at a specific moment.
n. the state of a system at a particular point in time, preserved as a self-contained unit for backup or versioning purposes.
“I took a snapshot of the virtual machine before installing the new software.”
“The database administrator scheduled a snapshot every hour to ensure that data could be recovered quickly in the event of a system failure.”
04to capture a state
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
v. to record the state of something at a specific moment, especially in a computer system.
v. to capture or record the status or configuration of a system or entity at a discrete point in time.
“The system will snapshot the current settings before the update begins.”
“By snapshotting the environment before each deployment, the team ensured they could roll back to a stable configuration if the new code failed.”
Real-World Examples
“Using a confocal microscope, the team took snapshots of the cells every few minutes for up to 30 hours.” “Plenty of them, he adds, “can fit in the palm of your hand.”
Each image is a snapshot of what biodiversity looks like during our time.” Etymology
From snap + shot.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/snapshot