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Synonyms

audiovisual

American  
[aw-dee-oh-vizh-oo-uhl] / ˌɔ di oʊˈvɪʒ u əl /
Or audio-visual

adjective

  1. of, pertaining to, involving, or directed at both hearing and sight.

    audiovisual facilities; audiovisual techniques.


noun

  1. Usually audiovisuals. audiovisual aids.

audiovisual British  
/ -ʒʊəl, ˌɔːdɪəʊˈvɪzjʊəl /

adjective

  1. (esp of teaching aids) involving or directed at both hearing and sight

    the language class had new audiovisual equipment

"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

Etymology

Origin of audiovisual

First recorded in 1935–40; audio- + visual

Explanation

Audiovisual things incorporate both sight and sound. Television is an audiovisual type of entertainment, unlike radio, which is only auditory, and unlike comic books, which are purely visual. Audio means "sound" or "hearing," while visual means "sight" or "seeing." So the word audiovisual refers to things that engage both your sense of sight and your sense of hearing. The word can be an adjective as in "audiovisual material" or a noun as in "we need some audiovisuals." Education is one setting where you might encounter this word, since teachers are often very focused on making sure that their learning aids engage the senses.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing audiovisual

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:

He began his professional career in Mango in 2005 after studying audiovisual communication in the United States and business in Spain.

From Barron's May 19, 2026

And I should—post-matcha, I spent 6.5 minutes barefoot in an immersive audiovisual “uplifting” guided breathwork program.

From Slate May 8, 2026

Brief audiovisual interruptions can have a significant negative effect on our professional and personal lives, according to research from consumer psychologists.

From The Wall Street Journal Feb. 25, 2026

Quintero, who lacked the funds to finish college, struggles as a freelance audiovisual producer.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 15, 2026

He keeps shooing away Tony Bucci, the faculty audiovisual advisor, because he figures he can master it more quickly himself.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

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