Fullscreen

/ˈfʊlskriːn/ adjective

Definition

Displayed across the entire screen of a computer monitor or device, without windows or borders. Often used to describe video playback or application display modes.

Etymology

Compound word formed from 'full' (Old English 'full') and 'screen' (Middle English 'screne'). Emerged in the 1980s-90s with computer interface development to describe maximized display states.

Kelly Says

This word is a perfect example of how technology creates new compound words - 'fullscreen' didn't exist before computer displays, yet now it's so common we rarely think about its recent invention. The hyphenated form 'full-screen' is also correct, showing how compound words evolve.

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