phonograph
noun
pho·no·graph
ˈfō-nə-ˌgraf 
: an instrument for reproducing sounds by means of the vibration of a stylus or needle following a spiral groove on a revolving disc or cylinder
Examples of phonograph in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The purpose of the piano was to be able to listen to music before phonographs were available and affordable.
—
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Sagan hologram also references the Golden Record, a phonograph record sent on the two Voyager spacecraft in 1977 as a way to present Earth’s life and culture to intelligent life beyond the solar system; real-life Carl Sagan was centrally involved in the creation of these discs.
—Ben Dowsett, Wired News, 15 Dec. 2025
Historical uses include fountain pen tips and phonograph needle points, where hardness and wear resistance were essential.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
The scene, which wanders slightly from Shattuck's short story, sees Cooper as Lionel listening to David's voice on a phonograph wax cylinder.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for phonograph
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
The Sagan hologram also references the Golden Record, a phonograph record sent on the two Voyager spacecraft in 1977 as a way to present Earth’s life and culture to intelligent life beyond the solar system; real-life Carl Sagan was centrally involved in the creation of these discs.
—Ben Dowsett, Wired News, 15 Dec. 2025
Historical uses include fountain pen tips and phonograph needle points, where hardness and wear resistance were essential.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025
The scene, which wanders slightly from Shattuck's short story, sees Cooper as Lionel listening to David's voice on a phonograph wax cylinder.
—Billie Melissa, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for phonograph
Cite this Entry
“Phonograph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phonograph. Accessed 27 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
phonograph
noun
pho·no·graph
ˈfō-nə-ˌgraf
: an instrument that reproduces sound recorded on a grooved disk
phonographic
adjective
ˌfō-nə-ˈgraf-ik
phonographically
adverb
-i-k(ə-)lē
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share