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

The Ultra also has its own USB port for playing local media from a drive, plus the ability to stream audio directly to Bluetooth headphones. —PC Magazine, 22 May 2025

This hub from Twelve South comes with a USB-A port, an HDMI, a headphone jack, and a USB-C port for pass-through charging. —Luke Larsen, Wired News, 21 May 2025

The airline has partnered with high-end French audio company Devialet to embed speakers directly into the headrests, eliminating the need for headphones. —Ritu Upadhyay, Footwear News, 21 May 2025

The new noise-cancelling headphones from Sony, WH-1000XM6, have just been unveiled. —David Phelan, Forbes.com, 20 May 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