# speaker

/ˈspikɝ/ (US) · /spˈiːkɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/speaker
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a person talking

noun · CEFR A2

a person who speaks a particular language or is talking at the moment.

For teachers: the producer of an utterance; a person who speaks a specific language as their native or learned tongue.

- The teacher asked for a native speaker to help with the pronunciation.
- As a non-native speaker, she occasionally struggled with the subtle idiomatic nuances of the local dialect during business negotiations.

### 2. audio equipment

noun · CEFR A2

a piece of equipment that plays music or sound so you can hear it.

For teachers: an electroacoustic transducer that converts electrical audio signals into corresponding sound waves.

- He bought a new Bluetooth speaker to listen to music in the garden.
- The sound engineer adjusted the position of the speakers to ensure the acoustics were balanced throughout the auditorium.

### 3. public orator

noun · CEFR B1

a person who gives a formal talk to a group of people.

For teachers: a person who delivers a formal address or speech to an audience.

- The guest speaker talked about the importance of protecting the environment.
- The keynote speaker delivered a compelling presentation on the future of renewable energy, captivating the entire conference hall.

### 4. legislative officer

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

the person in charge of a meeting in a government parliament.

For teachers: the presiding officer of a legislative assembly, such as the House of Commons or the House of Representatives.

- The Speaker of the House called for order during the heated debate.
- The Speaker maintained strict neutrality while moderating the parliamentary session, ensuring that all members adhered to the established rules of conduct.

### 5. literary narrator

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic

the voice or character that 'speaks' in a poem.

For teachers: the persona or voice assumed by the writer of a poem or narrative.

- In this poem, the speaker seems to be a young child.
- Students were asked to distinguish between the biographical author and the speaker of the lyric poem to better understand its emotional distance.

## Examples

- The speaker at the conference was very interesting.
- I need to buy a new Bluetooth speaker because the sound on my laptop is too quiet.
- While the keynote speaker addressed the assembly, technical staff worked frantically behind the scenes to repair a faulty speaker in the back of the hall.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.