Word
Definition
n. a pair of small speakers you wear over or in your ears to listen to audio privately.
n. an electroacoustic transducer worn on or over the ears to convert electrical signals into audible sound for a single user.
Examples
“I always wear headphones when I listen to music on the bus.”
“She put on her noise-canceling headphones to block out the sound of the airplane engine during the long flight.”
“High-fidelity headphones allow audiophiles to perceive subtle nuances in a recording that might be lost when played through standard external speakers.”
Examples
simple
“I always wear headphones when I listen to music on the bus.”
contextual
“She put on her noise-canceling headphones to block out the sound of the airplane engine during the long flight.”
complex
“High-fidelity headphones allow audiophiles to perceive subtle nuances in a recording that might be lost when played through standard external speakers.”
Usage
Usually plural; treated as a countable noun when used with 'pair of'.
Teaching tip
While 'headphones' and 'earphones' are often used interchangeably, 'headphones' usually implies the larger style with a headband, whereas 'earphones' or 'earbuds' fit inside the ear.
Pitfall
I bought a new headphone yesterday.
I bought a new pair of headphones yesterday.
Like 'glasses' or 'trousers', 'headphones' is usually plural. Use 'a pair of' to refer to one unit.
Etymology
From head + phones.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/headphones
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0