microphone
Americannoun
-
microphones
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of microphone
1875–80; micro-, in sense “enlarging” (extracted from microscope ) + -phone
Explanation
A microphone is an electric device that amplifies the sound of a voice or instrument. If you're going to stand up in front of a large crowd and want to be heard, you better use a microphone. Microphones require electricity and amplifiers to work — what they do is take a sound and convert it into an electrical signal. That signal can then be amplified and sent to a speaker or recorded. Performers can sing softly into a microphone and still be heard clearly by an audience member at the very back of a huge concert hall. The popularity of radio and film inspired this meaning of microphone — originally, the word meant "ear trumpet for the hard-of-hearing."
Vocabulary lists containing microphone
List 6
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!
Lesson 2
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!
Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: micro
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
OpenAI engineer and a hidden toilet paper-wrapped microphone.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026
When a clown’s only trick is shouting into a live microphone, the absolute worst thing that can happen is for the cameras to simply turn off.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
“Actually, Nevermind” is a reflection of Tomlinson when she puts down the microphone, and she is nervous for readers to see that side of her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Hanny Junee was getting ready to sing Coldplay's hit Viva la Vida to a small audience in Trafalgar Square when the star joined him by the microphone and started singing along.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
Dalton lumbers by carrying a box of guitar and microphone cords.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
"We borrowed some microphones, Kevin had built a small computer and we recorded the first album like that, basically just hanging out together," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Standing microphones, placed on different tiers of the set, never let us forget that Wilson was first and foremost a conductor of voices.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
It contains cameras and microphones that vacuum up sensitive data.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026
They look just like ordinary spectacles or sunglasses but contain tiny cameras, microphones and batteries - and can access the internet, usually by pairing with a phone.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
He flipped a switch under the table activating microphones hidden in the wall.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
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.
