headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

plural headphones

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually plural

So for the gamer to gain that "edge," he must have the best mouse, the smoothest mouse pad or the most sensitive headphones.

—Chris Yong

Strapping on cushy headphones the size of loaves of bread, I'd repeatedly listen to Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and the music of artists such as Jelly Roll Morton and Billie Holiday.

—Robert Wilder

also : a small earphone inserted into the ear : earbud

in-ear headphones

Examples of headphone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As the clock ticked down, Boyle took off his headphones, dropped the microphone and turned back into a student, rushing the field with his classmates. — Pete Sampson, New York Times, 20 July 2026

The glacial beats and the near-silent raps full of heartbreak and drugs are best absorbed through headphones. — Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 17 July 2026

Stream cassette tapes wirelessly through headphones or speakers, and even choose between batteries or USB-C for portable power. — Sofia Goldstein, SPIN, 17 July 2026

Many stadiums now give away sensory kits (headphones, fidget spinners) just so neurodivergent fans can survive the game. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headphone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually used in plural