headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

plural headphones

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually plural

So for the gamer to gain that "edge," he must have the best mouse, the smoothest mouse pad or the most sensitive headphones.

—Chris Yong

Strapping on cushy headphones the size of loaves of bread, I'd repeatedly listen to Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and the music of artists such as Jelly Roll Morton and Billie Holiday.

—Robert Wilder

also : a small earphone inserted into the ear : earbud

in-ear headphones

Examples of headphone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As on Does Spring Hide Its Joy, the question of who is making what sound—of what physical processes generated the music that now floats from a pair of headphones—loses its charge within a few minutes. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones These over-ear headphones have soft ear cushions that don’t press on your ears and a band that distributes pressure across your head for all-day comfort. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026

On orchestral music, like the opening scene to The Gospel According to the Other Mary by John Adams, the headphones delivered a nice, wide soundstage, giving sections plenty of room to breathe. — Christian De Looper, PC Magazine, 2 Nov. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headphone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually used in plural