buzzer

American  

[buhz-er] / ˈbʌz ər /

noun

1. a person or thing that buzzes.

2. a signaling apparatus similar to an electric bell but without hammer or gong, producing a buzzing sound by the vibration of an armature.

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buzzer British  

/ ˈbʌzə /

noun

1. a person or thing that buzzes

2. a device that produces a buzzing sound, esp one similar to an electric bell without a hammer or gong

3. a wood planing machine

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Etymology

Origin of buzzer

First recorded in 1600–10; buzz + -er ¹

Example Sentences

But his condition worsened and the inquiry heard that his mother Caitlin Donald pressed the emergency buzzer as Archie had stopped breathing.

From BBC • May 5, 2026

Greg played great and beat me to the buzzer several times.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

By the final buzzer, it was a full-blown party.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

The action is punctuated by booming sound effects — canned applause, the “wah-wah” of a sad trombone and a hyperactive electronic buzzer, among them — coming from a trigger-happy soundboard operator behind the coffee counter.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 26, 2026

At each stop, I sounded the buzzer, but the driver continued through the next two stops.

From "Black Like Me" by John Howard Griffin