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• stereo
  stereo

  noun

  stereoscopic photography.
• stereo-
  stereo-

  a combining form borrowed from Greek, where it meant “solid”, used with reference to hardness, solidity, three-dimensionality in the formation of compound words.
• stereo.
  stereo.

  abbreviation

  stereotype.

stereo

¹ American  

[ster-ee-oh, steer-] / ˈstɛr iˌoʊ, ˈstɪər- /

noun

stereos plural

1. stereoscopic photography.

2. a stereoscopic photograph.

3. stereophonic sound reproduction.

4. a system or the equipment for reproducing stereophonic sound.

5. Printing. stereotype.

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adjective

1. pertaining to stereophonic sound, stereoscopic photography, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. Printing. stereotype.

stereo- ² American  

especially before a vowel, stere-.

1. a combining form borrowed from Greek, where it meant “solid”, used with reference to hardness, solidity, three-dimensionality in the formation of compound words.

   stereochemistry; stereogram; stereoscope.

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stereo. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. stereotype.

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stereo ¹ British  

/ ˈstɪər-, ˈstɛrɪəʊ /

adjective

1. short for stereophonic stereoscopic

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noun

1. stereophonic sound

   to broadcast in stereo

2. a stereophonic record player, tape recorder, etc

3. photog

   1. stereoscopic photography

   2. a stereoscopic photograph

4. printing short for stereotype

stereo- ² British  

combining form

1. indicating three-dimensional quality or solidity

   stereoscope

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• stereos
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stereo¹

First recorded in 1815–25; by shortening

Origin of stereo-²

From the Greek word stereós

Explanation

A sound system with speakers that makes music seem to come from several directions at once—almost like it's all around you—is called a stereo. Your older brother should have set aside some money for food and rent instead of blowing his whole paycheck on a new stereo system. The kind of sound that's layered and three-dimensional is stereo sound, and the machine you use to play this type of recording is also called a stereo. The word is shorthand for stereophonic, which describes something recorded using two or more channels so that the sound seems to surround the listener and come from more than one source. You can also break this word into its Greek roots, stereo, "solid or three-dimensional," and phone, "voice."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stereo stereo- stereo. stereos

"We only had stereo speakers, but the house shook because our friends were dancing so hard," says Pierson.

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

Reflexively, I swatted the off button on my car stereo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 2, 2026

Beginning in the 1950s, Jamaica had a strong tradition of home-built stereo systems that were played outside and used for street dance parties.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025

Next, the team studied stereo images of about 300 of these dust devils to determine their movement and speed.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 9, 2025

He threw regular parties for the family, forcing everyone to talk loudly over whatever he put on the stereo, because the music always dominated.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

His most telling message is that the nation cannot help the "children of crisis" unless it understands them, and it cannot understand without discarding stereo- types.

From Time Magazine Archive

“I’ve witnessed the move from mono to stereo. Then came 4-track tape, which was bulky,” he said in 1990.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2020

We can't improve on this recommendation on Twitter: "Sounds like the third world war breaking out just above your stereo." @robinturner Aidan Moffat provides vocals on this beautiful, subtly devastating tale of dying romance.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 13, 2013

But few top executives really expect wives to conform to any stereo. typed image.

From Time Magazine Archive

“This one is stereo. Heterodyne. I assembled it myself.”

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Among the items he packed were two or three wireless phones, multiple car stereos, and a bunch of Craftsman tools.

From Slate ● Apr. 19, 2026

Fast & Furious Legos, T-shirts and car stereos hit store shelves.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 3, 2025

Amid the din of traffic, hissing buses and loud stereos, the playground sat empty, and men lay on the grassy strips, napping under the sun.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2024

They have been blasted from car stereos on the streets of New York City, played by DJs at nightclubs across the US, dubbed into Chinese on TikTok and inspired merengue songs among Spanish-speaking audiences.

From BBC ● May 11, 2024

“We Built This City” comes on, and a girl with two handheld stereos hops onto the bench seat to dance.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera

Related Words

• audio system
• radio
• sound system