Meaning & use
teleprompter
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
A device that shows a scrolling script for someone speaking on television or in public, so they can read it while looking at the camera or audience.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'the' or 'a'.
Patterns
- read from a teleprompter
- use a teleprompter
- on the teleprompter
The news anchor read the headlines from a teleprompter.
Without a teleprompter, the politician struggled to remember his speech.
The text on the teleprompter scrolled too quickly, so she lost her place.
Word forms
| plural | teleprompters |
|---|
Common combinations
- read from a teleprompter
- He read from a teleprompter during the live broadcast.
- teleprompter screen
- The teleprompter screen was placed just below the camera lens.
- teleprompter script
- The teleprompter script was updated minutes before the show.
- on the teleprompter
- The closing remarks appeared on the teleprompter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- autocue
- Autocue is the British trade name for the same device; it is often used in British English.
- prompter
- Prompter is a shorter, general term, but it can also refer to a person who prompts actors.
Word family
Commonly confused: teleprompter or teleprinter? teleprompter or autocue?
teleprompter vs teleprinter
A teleprinter is an old machine for sending typed messages; a teleprompter displays a script for a speaker to read.
teleprompter vs autocue
Autocue is the British equivalent, but it is a trademark and often capitalized.
Practice
A television presenter uses a teleprompter in order to:
Choose one answer.
A teleprompter displays scrolling text so the presenter can read it while appearing to look at the camera. The other options describe other broadcasting equipment, not a teleprompter.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “teleprompter”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.