paparazzi — photographers who aggressively pursue celebrities to take candid photographs for publication
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: photographers who aggressively pursue celebrities to take candid photographs for publication
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌpɑpəˈrɑtsi/
Example Sentences
- The celebrity wore sunglasses and a hat to hide from the paparazzi, but they still recognized her designer shoes.
- The paparazzi waited outside the restaurant for three hours just to get one photo.
- She became so famous that even her dog needed protection from the paparazzi.
paparazzi
NOUN[/ˌpɑpəˈrɑtsi/]
photographers who aggressively pursue celebrities to take candid photographs for publication

Aggressive photographers chasing celebrities

Even when paparazzi swarm, the chef keeps cooking spicy!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The term derives from the 1960 Italian film 'La Dolce Vita' directed by Federico Fellini, where a particularly annoying character named 'Paparazzo' is a tabloid photographer. The character's name itself originates from Italian dialect meaning 'loud mosquito' or 'buzzing insect', metaphorically capturing the persistent, intrusive nature of such photographers following celebrities.
Breakdown
Paparazzo (singular Italian noun, literally 'buzzing mosquito') + -i (Italian plural masculine suffix) = Paparazzi (plural form adopted into English to denote a group of aggressive tabloid photographers).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The celebrity wore sunglasses and a hat to hide from the paparazzi, but they still recognized her designer shoes.”
“The paparazzi waited outside the restaurant for three hours just to get one photo.”
“She became so famous that even her dog needed protection from the paparazzi.”
“The actor sued the paparazzi for invasion of privacy.”
📚Related Words
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