television

noun

tele·​vi·​sion ˈte-lə-ˌvi-zhən 

especially British ˌte-lə-ˈvi-

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

3

a

: 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 … 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

Synonyms of television

• 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

This is the day of maximal public attention to television and online news, on par with wars and natural disasters and the World Cup finals. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 3 Nov. 2026

And unlike last year when Vucic was in power, Sunday's anniversary memorial was broadcast by state RTS television, following resignations among officials at the TV station in the post-election week. — Marko Drobnjakovic, Arkansas Online, 2 Nov. 2026

The recipients receiving the lifetime achievement award are considered among the most influential in the world among the disciplines of music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures and television. — Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026

The schism would go on to shape the future of journalism from the newsletter economy all the way up to the highest echelons of Hollywood and television news after Weiss was appointed editor in chief of CBS News last year. — Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French télévision, from télé- tele- + vision vision

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing television

• cable television
• closed-circuit television
• community antenna television
• educational television
• on (the) television
• pre-television
• reality TV/television
• satellite television
• television set

Rhymes for television

• cablevision
• circumcision
• imprecision
• indecision
• subdivision
• supervision
• abscission
• collision
• decision
• derision
• division
• elision

Kids Definition

television

noun

tele·​vi·​sion ˈtel-ə-ˌvizh-ən 

1

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

2

: a television receiving set

3

: the television broadcasting industry