zoom.
A humming noise from something moving very fast.
Meaning & usage
A humming noise from something moving very fast.
the zoom of traffic
A quick ascent.
A big increase.
An augmentation of a view, by varying the focal length of a lens, or digitally.
What's the zoom like on your camera?
A recreational drug comprising a mixture of PCP and cannabis.
Where this word comes from
Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
To move fast with a humming noise.
We zoomed along the highway.
To zoom climb.
To move rapidly.
To go up sharply.
prices zoomed
To change the focal length of a zoom lens.
To manipulate a display so as to magnify or shrink it.
to zoom in or zoom out
To check someone out; to investigate someone that one is interested in.
Where this word comes from
Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
Representing a humming sound
Suggesting something moving quickly
Suggesting a sudden change, especially an improvement or an increase
Where this word comes from
Uncertain. The verb was first attested c. 1892, as a noun in 1918 and as an interjection in 1942. Apparently related to Scots soom (“to buzz, hum”), dialectal English and Scots soom, swoom, sweem (“to spin or twirl at high speed”). Compare also dialectal English sweem (“to swoon, become dizzy or faint”).
To participate in a video teleconferencing call.
Where this word comes from
A genericization of the trademark Zoom, a video teleconferencing software.
A video teleconferencing call.
Where this word comes from
A genericization of the trademark Zoom, a video teleconferencing software.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.