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monaural

American  
[mon-awr-uhl] / mɒnˈɔr əl /

adjective

  1. monophonic.

  2. of, relating to, or affecting one ear.


monaural British  
/ mɒˈnɔːrəl /

adjective

  1. relating to, having, or hearing with only one ear

  2. another word for monophonic

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of monaural

First recorded in 1885–90; mon- + aural 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.

See Examples For:

At Columbia, Davis decided to sell both versions of the albums at the higher stereo price, $4.79, helping lead to the demise of monaural records.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

He was fond of comparing his recordings to Wagnerian opera, his arrangements and mixes painstakingly crafted to explode out of transistor radios and monaural 45s with astonishing dramatic impact.

From Slate ● Jan. 18, 2021

In 1967, George Martin and the Beatles spent the vast majority of their time focused on the monaural mix, which was still the dominant playback format in England at that time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2017

The effect was very "analog." It reminded me of switching channels on a monaural, pushbutton car radio, or watching a theatrical documentary shot on film.

From Salon ● May 23, 2011

The question is no longer whether stereo sound is here to stay, but how long monaural sound can last.

From Time Magazine Archive

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