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

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones After testing several noise-canceling headphones, T+L dubbed these Bose headphones the most comfortable. —Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 10 Oct. 2025

Translation and interpretation services For guests with autism or hearing sensitivity, the visitor complex also offers a limited number of noise-cancelling headphones available for check out upon entry. —Mariette Williams, USA Today, 10 Oct. 2025

Charging the headphones for just five minutes gets you two extra hours of listening time. —Christopher Murray May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2025

Although the more expensive WH-1000XM6 has since been released, these terrific headphones, which combine top-notch noise cancellation with audio-friendly sound quality, continue to be Editors' Choice winners. —PC Magazine, 9 Oct. 2025

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