headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn How to pronounce headphone (audio)
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 Soundcore Space One headphones add the hi-res LDAC codec for Android users. PCMAG, 17 Mar. 2024 Sonos plans to release its first pair of wireless headphones in June after dealing with some late-stage software setbacks, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Chris Welch, The Verge, 27 Feb. 2024 Gone are the days of wearing uncomfortable airline headphones with poor audio quality because this device simply plugs into the headphone jack of your seat-back screen, connecting to your wireless headphones for a superior listening experience. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 4 Mar. 2024 Its most expensive acquisition to date was $3 billion for headphone maker Beats Electronics in 2014. Steve Mollman, Fortune, 3 Mar. 2024 Sitting with his custom drum set with his name printed on the front, Rennie David wore headphones and performed a drum solo. Liza Esquibias, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 The headphones will tie into the company’s ecosystem of speakers and home theater soundbars and are expected to be priced at $449, putting them firmly in the premium market of mainstream consumer headphones. Chris Welch, The Verge, 27 Feb. 2024 He was also given headphones to listen to a recording of a phone call between him and Sanders. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 26 Feb. 2024 Usually, the trail is so busy on nice-weather weekends that pedestrians wearing headphones can be seen bumping into each other, Dominic said. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'headphone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of headphone was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near headphone

Cite this Entry

“Headphone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headphone. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

headphone

noun
head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn How to pronounce headphone (audio)
: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on headphone

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