point-and-shoot

American  

[point-n-shoot] / ˈpɔɪnt nˈʃut /

adjective

1. of or denoting a camera that does not require manual adjustment of shutter speed, focus, aperture, etc.

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noun

1. a camera with such automatic features.

point-and-shoot British  

adjective

1. of or relating to a camera in which the lens aperture and shutter speed are automatically adjusted

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Etymology

Origin of point-and-shoot

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Sure, someone might have taken a couple snapshots of the table — maybe your aunt with her point-and-shoot, the flash so bright it washed out the ham.

From Salon • Dec. 2, 2025

The point-and-shoot digital camera is one of the most prized rediscovered technologies.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2025

They’re set in beige basements and in cluttered dorm rooms, taken with the trusty family point-and-shoot or a handy smartphone.

From Slate • Oct. 5, 2023

“The small, black point-and-shoot camera I use in the film was Kit’s actual camera — and that felt very powerful, to have that in my hands.”

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 15, 2022

So I dove into the wild world of Facebook Marketplace, combed through a sea of scams and landed a Canon 35mm film point-and-shoot from the early 1990s.

From Washington Post