Stenography: meaning, definitions and examples

The practice of writing in a quick and abbreviated manner, usually for the purpose of taking dictation in real-time, such as in court reporting or minute-taking.

• Stenography is a vital skill for court reporters who need to document proceedings accurately and quickly.
• She learned stenography to become a legal secretary.

A method of rapid writing by using symbols or abbreviations, commonly taught to secretaries and administrative professionals to take notes efficiently.

• He took a course in shorthand to make note-taking more efficient during meetings.
• Her shorthand skills allowed her to capture every detail of the lecture.

A specific form of stenography that uses a specialized machine (stenotype) to type in a shorthand format, commonly used in court reporting.

• Stenotypy is essential for captioning live television broadcasts quickly and accurately.
• The court reporter used stenotypy to keep up with the fast-paced dialogue in the courtroom.

Use when referring to the art or process of writing in shorthand to capture speeches or dictations quickly and accurately. Commonly used in legal, business, and reporting fields.

• She is studying stenography to become a court reporter.
• Stenography skills are essential for a secretary in a busy office.

Refers to the specific method or system of shorthand writing someone uses. Typically, it describes the system itself rather than the act of writing quickly.

• The Gregg shorthand system is one of the most popular shorthand methods used worldwide.
• He learned a new shorthand system to improve his note-taking speed.

Used to describe a specialized form of stenography where a stenotype machine is used to input shorthand. Commonly associated with court reporting and closed captioning services.

• Many court reporters use stenotypy instead of traditional stenography.
• She is proficient in stenotypy, allowing her to transcribe speeches in real-time.