What does bokeh mean?
Bokeh refers to the quality of the blur in the out-of-focus regions of a photograph — most visibly the soft, rounded discs that points of light become when rendered by a lens at wide apertures. Borrowed from the Japanese word 'boke', meaning blur or haze, the term entered English photography writing in the late twentieth century and is now central to how photographers talk about lens character. A lens whose blur transitions gently is praised for producing 'smooth', 'creamy', or 'buttery' bokeh, while distracting or harshly edged blur is criticized as busy or nervous. Because it is a mass noun, bokeh takes no plural form. Though technically neutral, the word usually carries a positive connotation, since pleasing background separation is often what distinguishes an expensive prime lens from an ordinary zoom. For anyone discussing portraiture, low-light shooting, or lens design, bokeh is indispensable vocabulary.
nounThe aesthetic quality of the blur in the out-of-focus areas of a photograph, especially the soft, pleasing circles produced by points of light rendered by a lens.
- The visual quality of the blurred, out-of-focus areas of a photographic image, particularly how pleasingly a lens renders highlights in those areas.
"The portrait glowed with creamy bokeh behind the subject's face."
"The string lights melted into golden bokeh, giving the night scene a dreamlike warmth."
"Photographers often pay premium prices for lenses prized for their smooth, creamy bokeh."
Bokeh is treated as a mass noun in English; it does not take a plural form.
"Both images showed lovely bokeh around the candles."
Bokeh isn't an English word at all — photographers adopted it from Japanese, where 'boke' means blur or haze, and it's one of the few photography terms borrowed whole from another language.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bokeh
Bokeh derives from the Japanese word 'boke' (ボケ), meaning blur, haze, or fuzziness, related to the verb 'bokeru' (to grow senile or hazy). The term was introduced into English photography literature in the late 1990s, notably through Photo Techniques magazine, which anglicized the pronunciation to rhyme with 'okay'. It has no Latin or Greek cognates, as its origin is entirely Japanese.
How bokeh is actually used
Bokeh is used almost exclusively in photography contexts and carries a positive connotation when described as 'smooth', 'creamy', or 'buttery'; harsh or distracting blur may be called 'busy' or 'harsh' bokeh. It is a mass noun with no plural in standard usage. The word entered English-language photography discourse from Japanese in the late 20th century, popularized through photo magazines and online forums.
Easily confused with bokeh
A bouquet is a bunch of flowers (or an aroma of wine), while bokeh is the aesthetic blur in a photograph — the two words merely look and sound similar.