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

The space felt like a chic beachfront apartment, with a generous kitchen, airy living room with a television, spa-like bathroom with a tiled shower and a big soaking tub, and plush king bed. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Feb. 2026

The most noteworthy newcomer, Chase Infiniti, is an astonishing young actress with musical-theatre training and television experience—not a nonprofessional but a professional just starting out, at an exceptionally high level. —Richard Brody, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026

Then of course there were the many misstatements of fact about the economy, about crime, and about wars and peace—many of which look like deliberate decisions to deceive the public watching on television. —David Frum, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2026

And as with most working actors, there were the frequent guest star jobs on episodic television and in TV movies. —Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 25 Feb. 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