scanner

scanner scan‧ner [ˈskænə ǁ -ər] noun [countable] COMMERCE

1. a machine that passes an electronic Beam over something in order to read information on it or produce a picture of what is inside:

• Customers simply have to wave the product's bar code under a scanner.

• credit-card scanners

2. a piece of computer equipment that copies words or images from paper onto the computer:

• The store sells color printers and scanners for desk-top publishing.

ˈprice ˌscanner COMMERCE

a machine that automatically reads bar code S showing the price of goods in shops. Price scanners are used for calculating customers' bills and for managing inventory (= supplies of goods to be sold)

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scanner UK US /ˈskænə^r/ noun [C]

► IT a machine that makes images of pictures and documents that are then stored on a computer system: »

an image scanner

► IT, COMMERCE a machine that reads information and puts it into a computer system: »

a barcode scanner

→ See also FLATBED SCANNER(Cf. ↑flatbed scanner), PRICE SCANNER(Cf. ↑price scanner)