Digicam

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A camera that records still images or video as digital data rather than on film, often built into phones or small handheld devices
2. An electronic camera that captures pictures and footage in digital form and stores them on a memory card or internal drive
3. A portable device for taking photographs or recording video electronically, saving the images as digital files for later viewing

Etymology: "Digicam" is a clipped compound: "digi-" from "digital" joined to "cam," short for "camera." It began life as a trade name before it spread into general use for a digital photo camera, the kind that records images electronically rather than onto film. Its parts are simple, so the story is mainly one of commerce: a brand-style abbreviation that caught on with the public and outlived its origin as a product label.

Synonyms: digital camera