video doorbell

noun

plural video doorbells

: a small security camera that is designed for use on an exterior door, that includes or connects to a doorbell, and that often has a microphone and speaker : doorbell camera

Video doorbells are security cameras that are built into a doorbell.

—Consumer Reports

A video doorbell, sometimes called a doorbell camera, is an outdoor camera placed on someone's front door, either battery-powered or hardwired into an existing doorbell and chime setup. The user gets notified via a mobile app either when someone pushes the doorbell, or when the camera detects motion or a person, depending on its artificial intelligence capabilities.

—Aliza Vigderman and Gabe Turner

Examples of video doorbell in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Alexa powers Amazon devices such as Echo speakers and connects to devices such as Amazon Ring video doorbells and third-party devices, such as Google's Nest Cam and Samsung's SmartThings Hub. —Sara Fischer, Axios, 3 Dec. 2024

Pick up gifting favorites like the Echo Dot smart speaker and the latest Kindle Paperwhite to wow this holiday season, or grab functional home gadgets like a video doorbell and an indoor security camera to easily keep an eye on your home from afar. —Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 Dec. 2024

Resolution and field of view When choosing a video doorbell, picture quality is crucial. —Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2024

Google's Nest Doorbell is a wireless video doorbell offering easy installation and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. —Shubham Yewale, PCMAG, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above