audio
1 Americanadjective
-
Electronics. designating an electronic apparatus using audio frequencies.
audio amplifier.
-
of, relating to, or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound.
-
of or relating to frequencies or signals in the audible range.
noun
-
audios
plural
-
Television.
-
the audio elements of television (distinguished from video).
-
the circuits in a receiver for reproducing sound.
-
the audio part of a television broadcast.
-
-
the field of sound recording, transmission, reception, and reproduction.
noun
-
of or relating to sound or hearing
audio frequency
-
relating to or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound
-
of, concerned with, or operating at audio frequencies
combining form
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.
Vocabulary lists containing audio
Common Senses: Aud ("Hear")
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Best Starting Words for Wordle
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
myPerspectives 8.1
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
But that did not matter last year when he posted a snippet of audio with a lyric describing people afraid of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Those in-ear monitors that the actors are wearing feed them edited clips from the real audio of the hearings.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2026
A few images were released, but no video or audio that made clear he was able to speak, let alone fulfill his duties as a lawmaker.
From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026
Then he eyed the canvas tote bag where I’d stashed a notepad and some audio gear.
From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026
Zeke had learned that Miel listened to audio versions of the textbooks they were all using.
From "Chronicles of a Lizard Nobody" by Patrick Ness
![]()
Along the way, the camera-equipped, audio- and video-recording devices have become a privacy lightning rod.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
The lawyers propose that the evaluations be audio- and video-recorded and last eight hours for adults and four to six hours for children.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 18, 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
This spring he will open a Hollywood shop to sell audio- and videotapes, Xeroxes of celebrity death certificates, T-shirts and mugs.
From Time Magazine Archive
![]()
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
For the film, we created several CVR audios, with different iterations and deteriorations and "parasite" sounds with different layers so during the film you could, like the character, understand what happened during the crash.
From Salon ● Apr. 29, 2022
The federation told El Confidencial there was nothing illegal in what was said in the audios or in the negotiations, and the details of the deal had already been released.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 18, 2022
I am always looking for good fiction audios and would appreciate your suggestions.
From New York Times ● Mar. 24, 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
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.