phono

1 of 2

noun

pho·​no ˈfō-(ˌ)nō 

plural phonos

: phonograph

phono-

2 of 2

combining form

: sound : voice : speech

phonograph

phonology

Examples of phono in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Both models support the BluOS platform, enabling multi-room streaming from over 20 services, high-resolution audio up to 24-bit/192kHz, and extensive connectivity including HDMI eARC, a phono preamp, and USB-C. — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 23 June 2026

Here are four of the best—two preamplifiers, two phono stages—at different price points that all offer excellent performance at the money. — Simon Lucas, Wired News, 30 Dec. 2025

Power supplies, motor controls, and phono equalizers are strategically separated to prevent interference, while circuits are refined to minimize distortion and coloration. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 1 Dec. 2025

Technics has also cooked in a phono-MM equalizer to cater for cabling up to a hi-fi system without needing to plug into a dedicated phono input. — New Atlas, 19 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

by shortening

Combining form

borrowed from Greek, combining form from phōnḗ "sound made by something living, voice, speech, utterance," probably going back to Indo-European *b^hoh₂-neh₂, o-grade derivative, with a suffixal -n-, from the verbal base *b^heh₂- "speak, say" — more at ban entry 1

Note: Greek phōnḗ has been compared with Old English bēn "prayer, petition, supplication," Old Icelandic bæn "prayer, request" (from *b^hoh₂-ni- or *b^heh²-ni-) and Armenian ban "speech, word, thing, precept" (from *b^heh₂-ni-). An alternative hypothesis sees it as proceeding from Indo-European *ǵ^hu̯oneh₂ "sound," and hence cognate with Old Church Slavic zvonŭ "sound, echo," Albanian—Tosk dialects zë "voice," Gheg dialects zâ, though this would require a lengthened grade *ǵ^hu̯ōneh₂ to produce the Greek word.

First Known Use

Noun

1903, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for phono

• kono
• mono
• ono