photo-essay

noun

pho·​to-es·​say ˈfō-tō-ˌe-ˌsā How to pronounce photo-essay (audio)
: a group of photographs (as in a book or magazine) arranged to explore a theme or tell a story

Examples of photo-essay in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In 1955, Mars entered a photo-essay contest put on by Life magazine. — Paige Williams, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024 Enjoy the dramatic, fire-breathing photo-essay by Kevin Cooley that accompanies the article. — Laura Helmuth, Scientific American, 16 Apr. 2024 Stories like our Profiles in Leadership feature of a Nigerian farmer and our In Pictures photo-essay exploring efforts to save Madagascar’s forests may feel a bit random. — Noelle Swan, Christian Science Monitor, 10 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of photo-essay was in 1944

Rhymes for photo-essay

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Browse Nearby Words

photoengraving
photo-essay
photoetch
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Cite this Entry

“Photo-essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/photo-essay. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about photo-essay

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