karaoke
Americannoun
-
karaokes
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of karaoke
1985–1990; < Japanese, equivalent to kara empty + oke orchestra
Explanation
Karaoke is a type of entertainment where people sing popular songs to prerecorded music. Like the haiku, karaoke was invented in Japan. This form of entertainment is very popular in the United States, where people sing karaoke every day. It's a chance to sing a song you love without having a band: you can just get up and belt it out. Usually, the lyrics are displayed too, so you don't even have to remember the words. A lot of people would probably rather die than sing karaoke, but lots of people can't get enough.
Vocabulary lists containing karaoke
National Spelling Bee '14: Prelims Round 2
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English Words Derived from Japanese
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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 didn’t, but regulars, karaoke lovers and fans have fond memories of him there.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
States across the US celebrated Dolly Parton Day with karaoke, pink lights, live music and book drives.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
She bought her first fridge with her earnings, as well as a karaoke machine, complete with flashing lights and two microphones, that occupies pride of place in her living room.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
And the city has plenty in store for them, from karaoke rooms to sim racing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The halls are lined with floor-to-ceiling mirrors, reflecting the light of chandeliers adorning the ceilings, while the doorways to each private karaoke room are painted in glittering gold.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
No matter how many times this person karaokes, they’re always bad.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 27, 2023
James Corden has officially left late night, after nine seasons of viral interviews, crosswalk musicals and carpool karaokes on “The Late Late Show.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 27, 2023
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.
