record player

American  

noun

1. phonograph.

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record player British  

noun

1. a device for reproducing the sounds stored on a record, consisting of a turntable, usually electrically driven, that rotates the record at a fixed speed of 33, 45, or (esp formerly) 78 revolutions a minute. A stylus vibrates in accordance with undulations in the groove in the record: these vibrations are converted into electric currents, which, after amplification, are recreated in the form of sound by one or more loudspeakers See also monophonic quadraphonics stereophonic

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Etymology

Origin of record player

First recorded in 1930–35

Compare meaning

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

• phonograph vs. record player

Example Sentences

These included a record player positioned on a table next to the bed for optimal roll-over needle drops and a disorganized assortment of motorcycle magazines and ’50s and ’60s 7” singles scattered across the floor.

From Salon • Mar. 4, 2026

I used to put it on my little record player in my bedroom, and it seemed to be the kind of thing that I needed to get through the day.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Among the good doctor’s many artifacts are a record player and vinyl LPs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

To explore these tiny realms, scientists turn to a scanning tunnelling microscope, which operates much like a record player.

From Science Daily • Dec. 3, 2024

As the front door slammed, the record player downstairs mastered the house and Nat King Cole warned the world to “straighten up and fly right.”

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou