thumbnail
thumbnail Lexical Profile
thumbnail Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small, reduced-size version of a digital image or video frame, used to allow quick browsing and recognition of multiple files.
"Click on any thumbnail in the gallery to view the full-resolution photograph."
The hard, protective keratinous plate covering the upper surface of the tip of the thumb.
"She accidentally chipped her thumbnail while opening the wooden crate."
A very small, rapid preliminary drawing made by an artist or designer to explore composition and layout ideas.
"The illustrator filled several pages of her sketchbook with rough thumbnails before starting the final painting."
• adjective
Very small, brief, or concise, especially in reference to a written description, biographical sketch, or preliminary drawing.
"The author included a thumbnail biography of each historical figure in the appendix."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in the 17th century as a compound of 'thumb' and 'nail', from Old English 'thuma' and 'nægl'. The figurative sense of a miniature sketch or brief summary arose in the mid-19th century, later adopted into computing in the 1980s for small preview images.