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
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!
English Words Derived from Japanese
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!
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
There are late-night dance parties and karaoke sessions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Palestinian herder Mohammed Emar has set up a fully functional home for his family where his daughters can even sing karaoke.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Earlier this week, thousands of fans also gathered at a historic theatre in central Paris for two nights of karaoke and activities inspired by Dion's music.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Christian karaoke, badass action stories, and violent faith healers—man, I loved church.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
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
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
