television

noun, often attributive

tele·vi·sion | \ ˈte-lə-ˌvi-zhən

, especially British ˌte-lə-ˈvi-\

Definition of television

1 : an electronic system of transmitting transient images of fixed or moving objects together with sound over a wire or through space by apparatus that converts light and sound into electrical waves and reconverts them into visible light rays and audible sound

2 : a television receiving set

3a : the television broadcasting industry

b : television as a medium of communication

c : programming distributed over the Internet that is designed to be viewed in the same format as broadcast television A couple of couch companions watching TV on tablets might not see the same thing any more, even when watching the same shows. Ad personalization—routine for most of the Web—has come to streaming television.— Donna Howell The quarter was the 10th anniversary of Netflix's streaming service, which began with the vision that internet television would ultimately replace traditional television.— Emily Steel

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Synonyms for television

Synonyms

boob tube, box, idiot box, telly [chiefly British], tube, TV

Examples of television in a Sentence

people who turn on the television the minute they walk in the door

Recent Examples on the Web

The round currently under debate would include toys, clothes, shoes, appliances and televisions. — Julia Horowitz, CNN, "Paris Air Show; Tariff pain; Stocks rise," 17 June 2019 China's ambassador to Pakistan has gone on local television channels denying girls are trafficked to China and sold into prostitution. — Fox News, "Sold into marriage, Pakistani women endure rapes in China," 17 June 2019 China’s ambassador to Pakistan has gone on local television channels denying girls are trafficked to China and sold into prostitution. — Washington Post, "Sold into marriage, Pakistani women endure rapes in China," 17 June 2019 Taps run freshwater, and small solar panels power streetlights, as well as radios blasting music from barbershops, televisions airing soccer matches in community halls, and cell phones snaking from charging stations in shops. — Nina Strochlic, National Geographic, "In Uganda, a unique urban experiment is under way," 17 June 2019 This is the history that every child learns in textbooks, that museums serve up in exhibitions, and that the media push in countless television dramas, news reports, and popular books. — Ian Johnson, The New York Review of Books, "China’s ‘Black Week-end’," 17 June 2019 The toxicity is reflected on Libyan television channels. — Nabih Bulos, latimes.com, "Libya’s two wars: One on the battlefield and one on Facebook," 17 June 2019 Her husbands included Leopold Stokowski, the celebrated conductor, and Sidney Lumet, the award-winning movie and television director. — Ula Ilnytzky, SFChronicle.com, "Heiress, socialite and fashion pioneer Gloria Vanderbilt dies at 95," 17 June 2019 Shortly after 6pm on June 17th state television reported that Mr Morsi had died of a heart attack during a court session. — The Economist, "Muhammad Morsi, Egypt’s only democratic ruler, dies in court," 17 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'television.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near television

television transmitter

Statistics for television

Last Updated

20 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for television

The first known use of television was in 1900

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More Definitions for television

television

noun

English Language Learners Definition of television

: an electronic system of sending images and sounds by a wire or through space

: a piece of equipment with a screen that receives images and sounds sent by television

: programs that are broadcast by television

See the full definition for television in the English Language Learners Dictionary

television

noun

tele·vi·sion | \ ˈte-lə-ˌvi-zhən

Kids Definition of television

1 : an electronic system of sending images and sound over a wire or through space by devices that change light and sound into electrical signals and then change these back into light and sound

2 : a piece of equipment with a screen and speakers that reproduces images and sound

3 : programs that are broadcast by television