A screen is a flat surface designed for displaying images or information, or for blocking things from view. When you watch a movie, you're looking at a screen, whether it's a movie theater screen, a TV screen, or the screen on a tablet. Computer screens show text, pictures, and videos. A smartphone screen lets you see apps, messages, and games.

The word also means to block, filter, or examine something carefully. A window screen keeps bugs out while letting fresh air in. Doctors screen patients for diseases by checking for early warning signs. A coach might screen tryout candidates to find the most promising athletes. When you screen phone calls, you decide which ones to answer and which to ignore.

You might also hear people talk about screen time, which refers to how long someone spends looking at electronic screens each day. A screening can mean showing a movie (like a special screening for critics before it opens to the public) or examining something carefully (like a security screening at an airport).