karaoke

noun

kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌker-ē-ˈō-kē 

ˌka-rē-

also

kə-ˈrō-kē  ˌkä-rä-ˈō-(ˌ)kā 

: a device that plays instrumental accompaniments for a selection of songs to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music

a karaoke machine

also : a form of entertainment involving the use of such a device (as in a bar)

Examples of karaoke in a Sentence

That bar has karaoke on Saturday night.

Recent Examples on the Web

Photo booths, custom guitar pick stations, karaoke parties and more will go on throughout the weekend. — Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026

Former regulars at Dimples, the Burbank karaoke bar where Haskins sang Sinatra, dueted with staff and made strangers feel like friends, remember the actor as a gregarious fixture. — Laura Zornosa, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

My favorite karaoke spot, other than Tremolo, is Rainbow Karaoke in Shibuya. — Megan Spurrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026

There are references to karaoke and lechon, otherwise known as roasted pig, and of course on Nakali, where the main action of the movie takes place, all the characters are based on Filipino mythology. — Parents, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from kara empty + ōke, short for ōkesutora orchestra

First Known Use

1977, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for karaoke

• cloche
• gnocchi
• loci
• pokey
• smokey
• smoky

Kids Definition

karaoke

noun

kar·​a·​o·​ke ˌkar-ē-ˌō-kē  kə-ˈrō-kē 

: a device that plays music to which the user sings along and that records the user's singing with the music