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

What began as a fun exercise in recreating outlandish dishes from film and television has since evolved into a multimedia empire with Andrew Rea at the helm. — Josh Weiss, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

The hotel’s Sportsnet Grill also offers a great vantage point of the stadium, with floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of big-screen televisions broadcasting every inning. — Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 2 July 2026

After graduating from Brown University with a degree in theater, Ross saw her career take off with television projects such as Girlfriends and Black-ish, but still felt that pull to the stage. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 2 July 2026

Reagan, known for his keen storytelling and ability to project warmth, got his moniker from a background in radio and movie and television acting. — Will Weissert, Fortune, 2 July 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
• 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