Jumbotron

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒʌm.bəʊˌtɹɒn/

Definitions

1. A substantial electronic display prominently positioned in sports venues and entertainment settings that showcases live video and graphics to viewers
2. A sizable screen used in arenas and public gatherings to present dynamic content and advertisements for large audiences
3. A large electronic screen used to show video and images to audiences in stadiums or public events

Etymology: Sony's JumboTron was a brand name for large outdoor video screens, introduced in the 1980s and retired in 2001, and the word "jumbotron" is a genericized trademark that outlived the product it named. The brand itself was a playful blend: "jumbo," meaning huge, and "-tron," a suffix borrowed from "electron" and its many scientific and technological descendants, the sort of ending that suggested gadgetry and modernity. Together they promised an enormous piece of electronic equipment. The name worked so well that the trademark gradually lost its capital letters and its link to a single company. Ordinary speakers started using it for any giant screen above a stadium, whoever manufactured it, much as people say "hoover" or "xerox" for other makers' products. Sony's specific product was retired in 2001, but the word stayed in the language as a generic noun.