quadraphonic

1 of 2

adjective

quad·​ra·​phon·​ic ˌkwä-drə-ˈfä-nik 

variants or less commonly quadriphonic

: of, relating to, or using four channels for the transmission, recording, or reproduction of sound

quadraphonics noun, plural in form but singular in construction

or quadriphonics

ˌkwä-drə-ˈfä-niks 

quadraphonics

2 of 2

noun plural but singular or plural in construction

quad·​ra·​phon·​ics

variants or quadriphonics

-niks

: quadraphonic sound

Examples of quadraphonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

The Connecticut studio, where Pendleton works with his longtime partner and associate director Cynthia Quinn, is equipped with quadraphonic sound. —Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Nov. 2025

Gas-electric technology will become as irrelevant as quadraphonic sound. —Dan Neil, WSJ, 4 Mar. 2021

Short solo cello fragments are recorded and played back through quadraphonic speakers. —Mark Swed, latimes.com, 9 Feb. 2018

At one point, with one percussionist bowing an autoharp and the other gently massaging a timpani, a sound projectionist was meant to refract the various spectra from one loudspeaker to the next, creating a quadraphonic effect. —Seth Colter Walls, New York Times, 19 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

irregular from quadri- + -phonic (as in stereophonic)

Noun plural but singular or plural in construction

quadraphonic + -s entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1969, in the meaning defined above

Noun Plural But Singular Or Plural In Construction

1968, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quadraphonic

• anharmonic
• anionic
• avionic
• catatonic
• cationic
• chorionic
• cosmogonic
• diachronic
• diatonic
• electronic
• embryonic
• excitonic

Kids Definition

quadraphonic

adjective

quad·​ra·​phon·​ic ˌkwäd-rə-ˈfän-ik 

: of or relating to the transmission, recording, or reproduction of sound using four transmission channels