Candid Camera
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An unseen camera which is used to photograph an unsuspecting subject. Candid camera shots, which are often ridicu- lous, are much used m pictorial journalism.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Candid Camera” mean?
An unseen camera which is used to photograph an unsuspecting subject. Candid camera shots, which are often ridicu- lous, are much used m pictorial journalism.
Is “Candid Camera” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.