audience

[ aw-dee-uhns ]
See synonyms for: audienceaudiences on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the group of spectators at a public event; listeners or viewers collectively, as in attendance at a theater or concert: The audience was respectful of the speaker's opinion.

  2. the persons reached by a book, radio or television broadcast, etc.; public: Some works of music have a wide and varied audience.

  1. a regular public that manifests interest, support, enthusiasm, or the like; a following: Every art form has its audience.

  2. opportunity to be heard; chance to speak to or before a person or group; a hearing.

  3. a formal interview with a sovereign, high officer of government, or other high-ranking person: an audience with the pope.

  4. the act of hearing, or attending to, words or sounds.

Origin of audience

1
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin audientia “act of listening, group of listeners,” from audient-, stem of audiēns “hearing” (present participle of audīre “to hear”) + -ia -ia

Grammar notes for audience

Other words from audience

  • pro·au·di·ence, adjective

Words Nearby audience

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use audience in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for audience

audience

/ (ˈɔːdɪəns) /


noun
  1. a group of spectators or listeners, esp at a public event such as a concert or play

  2. the people reached by a book, film, or radio or television programme

  1. the devotees or followers of a public entertainer, lecturer, etc; regular public

  2. an opportunity to put one's point of view, such as a formal interview with a monarch or head of state

Origin of audience

1
C14: from Old French, from Latin audientia a hearing, from audīre to hear

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