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Glite Dictionary
image scanner

image scanner

3.5
A machine that turns a paper picture or document into a computer file
  • noun
  • /ˈɪmɪdʒ ˈskænər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : escáner de imágenes
  • His Steinway was the remote input station, consisting of a keyboard, a monitor, an image scanner p38, and a fingerprint image processor, among other things.

Examples

  • The image scanner was capable of reading both ten-print cards and latent prints.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The office purchased a new image scanner to digitize all of their paper documents.

  • She used the image scanner to convert her favorite photographs into a digital format.

  • An image scanner can help you create digital copies of old family pictures for preservation.

Synonyms

scanner
vsimage scanner
357 3.3

An electronic machine that detects information, for example radar or a device that makes digital pictures of papers

is the specific device that converts physical pictures into digital form
optical scanner
vsimage scanner
  • Specialized
2 3.8

A machine that reads printed pages and saves them as computer files

focuses on converting physical pictures rather than only printed materials
digital scanner
vsimage scanner
1 3.0

A machine that makes an electronic copy of a paper or photo for a computer

converts physical pictures into digital form specifically for computer input
hand scanner
vsimage scanner
1 3.5

A portable device you move by hand to take a picture of a document or barcode

is mainly fixed use converting physical pictures without stressing portability

How Detailed

image scanner
  • Specialized
3.5
camera
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

image scanner singular
image scanners plural

Morphology

image + scanner

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'image' (a picture) + 'scanner' (a device that digitizes or detects information), so a learner who knows both words can infer 'a device that scans images'. This noun–noun compound follows a regular and cross-linguistically common pattern rather than an idiomatic shift, making it immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Image scanner combines image (a picture) and scanner (a machine that 'scans' by moving a light over the picture to 'read' what is on it). So, it means a device that turns a physical picture or page into a computer file.