Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
vitascope

vitascope

1 9.9
An early machine that shows moving pictures to people
  • noun
  • /ˈvaɪtəˌskoʊp/
  • Archaic
translation icon : vitascopio

Examples

  • What progress pictures have made, from Edison's Vitascope to the talkies of today.

    King of Jazz (1930)

  • The vitascope was an innovative machine that allowed audiences to watch moving images for the first time.

  • In 1896, Thomas Edison introduced the vitascope, which became famous for showcasing short films.

  • The audience was captivated as the vitascope displayed scenes of everyday life, bringing stories to life on the big screen.

Synonyms

movie projector
vsvitascope
  • US
2 2.7

A machine that shows films on a screen for groups of people

is an early projector used to show motion pictures to an audience
cinematograph
vsvitascope
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A machine long ago used to record and show moving pictures

focuses on audience display rather than recording images
bioscope
vsvitascope
  • Archaic
9.9

An early machine that shows moving pictures on a screen

is an early projector used to show motion pictures to an audience
biograph
vsvitascope
  • Archaic
9.9

An early projector that shows moving pictures

is used to show motion pictures to audiences rather than only earlier experimental displays
zoopraxiscope
vsvitascope
  • Archaic
9.9

An early machine that projects pictures to show movement

is an early projector used specifically to show motion pictures to audiences
cine projector
vsvitascope
  • Specialized
4.6

A machine that shows moving pictures from film on a screen

is an early projector used to show motion pictures to an audience

Surface Forms

vitascope singular
vitascopes plural

Morphology

vitascope = scope (semi-transparent) = vita + scope

The word is a coined classical formation from 'vita-' and 'scope', but the specific meaning 'an early motion-picture projector' is only loosely predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Vitascope mixes Latin vita 'life' with the part -scope 'to look', the same -scope you see in telescope. So a vitascope is like a 'life-viewer' - an early projector that made moving pictures seem alive.