phonograph

American  

[foh-nuh-graf, -grahf] / ˈfoʊ nəˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf /

noun

1. any sound-reproducing machine using records in the form of cylinders or discs.

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phonograph British  

/ ˈfəʊnəˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf /

noun

1. an early form of gramophone capable of recording and reproducing sound on wax cylinders

2. Also called: gramophone.   record player.  a device for reproducing the sounds stored on a record: now usually applied to the nearly obsolete type that uses a clockwork motor and acoustic horn

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Etymology

Origin of phonograph

1825–35 in sense “phonogram”; 1877 for the “talking phonograph” invented by T. A. Edison; phono- + -graph

Compare meaning

How does phonograph compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• phonograph vs. gramophone
• phonograph vs. record player

Example Sentences

A few years ago, Mr. Edison invented an amazing machine called a phonograph.

From Literature

These funds were used to purchase local books, periodicals, phonograph records, and "other media" in multiple Indian languages, enriching collections at over two dozen universities.

From BBC

Ms. Stoneman made her mark in 1957 with her driving instrumental version of “Lonesome Road Blues,” which made her the first woman to play modern bluegrass banjo on a phonograph record.

From New York Times

He was worried that it would look like a phonograph needle and cement the idea that the building was designed to look like a stack of records.

From Los Angeles Times

Each spacecraft carries a golden record: a phonograph that includes greetings from languages around the world and a host of musical excerpts.

From Scientific American

Related Words

• stereo