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earbud

American

[eer-buhd] / ˈɪərˌbʌd /

noun

a small earphone that fits in the ear.

the best earbuds for your cell phone.

earbud British

/ ˈɪəˌbʌd /

noun

a small earphone worn in the ear for use with audio devices

"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

Etymology

Origin of earbud

First recorded in 1980–85; ear ¹ + bud ¹

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.

Co-produced by Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, the album was made for the earbud era.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

When I called out, they pulled an earbud halfway out and said, “Sorry, I just have to get to class.”

From Slate • Oct. 30, 2025

A man who thought he was going deaf has discovered that part of an earbud had been lodged in his ear for five years.

From BBC • Nov. 12, 2022

Beckerman took out his earbud and said, “What?”

From New York Times • Sep. 7, 2022

At first, it was just an indistinct noise, but he twisted the earbud slightly in his ear, and then he could make out words.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023