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  • audio
    audio
    adjective
    designating an electronic apparatus using audio frequencies.
  • audio-
    audio-
    a combining form used in the formation of compound words, with the meanings: “sound within the range of human hearing” (audiometer ); “hearing” (audiology ); “sound reproduction” (audiophile ).
Synonyms

audio

1 American  
[aw-dee-oh] / ˈɔ diˌoʊ /

adjective

  1. Electronics. designating an electronic apparatus using audio frequencies.

    audio amplifier.

  2. of, relating to, or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound.

  3. of or relating to frequencies or signals in the audible range.


noun

  • audios
    plural
  1. Television.

    1. the audio elements of television (distinguished from video).

    2. the circuits in a receiver for reproducing sound.

    3. the audio part of a television broadcast.

  2. the field of sound recording, transmission, reception, and reproduction.

audio- 2 American  
  1. a combining form used in the formation of compound words, with the meanings: “sound within the range of human hearing” (audiometer ); “hearing” (audiology ); “sound reproduction” (audiophile ).


audio 1 British  
/ ˈɔːdɪˌəʊ /

noun

  1. of or relating to sound or hearing

    audio frequency

  2. relating to or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound

  3. of, concerned with, or operating at audio frequencies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

audio- 2 British  

combining form

  1. indicating hearing or sound

    audiometer

    audiovisual

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms


Etymology

Origin of audio1

First recorded in 1920–25; independent use of audio-

Origin of audio-2

< Latin audī- (stem of audīre to hear) + -o-


Explanation

Audio means sound. If you turn up the volume and turn down the bass on your TV, you adjust the audio. The noun audio always refers to what you can hear, although there are several different ways to use it. If you covet expensive speakers for your stereo, you wish for new audio equipment, and when someone complains about the sound at a movie theater he might say, "The audio is way too loud." Audio was first used as a prefix, in words like audio-frequency, and came to mean "recorded sound" in the 1930s.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing audio

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Flavio at first denied having contact with Vorcaro, but was forced to backtrack after audio leaked of him imploring the banker to make overdue payments.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026

“It’s clear that it’s emotional for him and it’s something he’s really concerned about,” Naddaff-Hafrey says, noting that Gladwell would sometimes tear up when the producer would play back the audio.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 27, 2026

For Jon Vertullo, 33, who plays the military general Cassian, it’s dream casting that only audio can deliver.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

The version has parts of the song sung in English and Welsh - but the lyrics presented on the digital audio streaming service Spotify actually showed the language as Irish.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

And in the end, Harold’s imperfect audio system happened to be the last note in the melody of coincidences that changed my life.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green

But the growing adoption of the audio- and video-recording devices, as well as some of the features being tested, has raised worries among privacy advocates.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 8, 2026

The company announced a $1 billion creator fund earlier this year, and it also plans to focus more on features to bring users together in real-time, like audio- and video-chat rooms.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 7, 2021

The meeting was audio- and video-recorded by Nike’s lawyers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2019

At Bridgewater, most meetings and many common areas are audio- or video-recorded.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2016

And if you don't mind buying used, SecondSpin www.secondspin.com is an audio- and videophile's dream.

From Time Magazine Archive

He resigned after audios were revealed in which he appears to call on former deputy Foreign Minister Carolina Ache to not hand over her phone to investigators.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 1, 2023

Musk said on Tuesday subscribers with blue check marks would get priority in replies, mentions and search and would be able to post longer videos and audios.

From Reuters ● Nov. 3, 2022

Recent terrific audios of new novels include “The Lincoln Highway” and “Cloud Cuckoo Land.”

From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 2022

Mental health experts today have access to thousands of videos, audios, tweets, interviews and speeches of the president and innumerable other public figures and politicians.

From Salon ● Jan. 5, 2022

Sabo eased himself from the seat, tuning up his audios to their highest sensitivity, moving over to Brownie.

From Derelict by Alan Edward Nourse

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