scanner

[/ˈskænər/]
nounmasculinepl: scanners
scanner
1. A device that converts physical documents or images into digital format by capturing and analyzing light reflections
I used a scanner to digitize my old photographs.
Usei um scanner para digitalizar minhas fotografias antigas.
2. A radio receiver that automatically tunes through a range of frequencies to monitor communications
The police officer carried a scanner in his vehicle to monitor dispatch calls.
O policial levava um scanner no veículo para monitorar as chamadas de despacho.
3. A person or device that scans or examines something carefully
The security scanner at the airport detected a prohibited item in his luggage.
O scanner de segurança no aeroporto detectou um item proibido na sua bagagem.
4. In computing, a program or tool that analyzes code or systems for vulnerabilities or malware
Run an antivirus scanner to check your computer for infections.
Execute um scanner antivírus para verificar seu computador quanto a infecções.
The term 'scanner' is widely adopted in Brazilian Portuguese, particularly in business, education, and technology sectors. Unlike in Portugal where 'digitalizador' may be preferred, Brazilians commonly use 'scanner' in everyday office contexts. The device became culturally significant with the rise of digital document management in the 1990s-2000s, and the term has become standard across Portuguese-speaking countries in the technology domain.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
digital scannerimage scanneroptical scannerreader

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
scanner
Widely used in Brazilian Portuguese, especially in office and technology contexts
São Paulo
scanner
Standard usage in corporate and business environments
Rio de Janeiro
scanner
Common in both formal and informal contexts
Portugal
digitalizador
Portuguese speakers often prefer 'digitalizador' for document scanning devices, though 'scanner' is also understood

Related Words

scanscanningscanneddigitizationdocumentimagedevice

Related Idioms & Phrases

run a scanner
scanner error
barcode scanner
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →