Ma’anar ƙamus na kalmar “hoto” gajeriyar hanyar “hoto ce,” wanda ke nufin hoto ko hoto da aka yi ta amfani da kyamara ko wata na’ura mai ɗaukar haske. Yawanci ana yin hoto akan kayan da ke da haske, kamar fim ɗin hoto ko na'urar firikwensin dijital, kuma ana iya buga shi akan takarda ko nunawa ta hanyar lantarki akan allo. Ana amfani da kalmar “photo” a matsayin prefix don nuna shigar da hoto a fagage daban-daban, kamar “hoton hoto,” “mai daukar hoto,” “photogenic,” da sauransu.