Viewfinder

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvjuːfaɪndə(ɹ)/

Definitions

1. A device that helps a photographer or filmmaker see and frame the subject before capturing the image
2. An optical tool used to compose and preview a scene in cameras or camcorders
3. A visual aid that allows the user to look through and plan the exact area to be photographed or filmed

Etymology: "Viewfinder" is a plain compound: "view" joined to "finder," an agent noun from "find." The "finder" element is older than most readers would guess, meaning a device that locates or sights something. Early optical finders on cameras and telescopes were used to locate a target and line it up with the main instrument before use. The combination with "view" describes what the device does: it lets the photographer see the frame of the scene before the image is taken. The word is a straightforward English formation from existing parts, with no coined name or invented story behind it.

Synonyms: finder, sight