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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

His dad would play Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and John Conlee on the car stereo.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Language isn’t always that important. When Olmo and Néstor argue over the stereo, you never really know if they actually understand each other through words or not.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

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

From BBC ● Mar. 17, 2026

"It gives us what you might call a stereo perspective -- two different vantage points simultaneously."

From Science Daily ● Mar. 14, 2026

If Vonetta broke the needle we’d never be allowed to play the stereo again and I’d probably catch Lightning for sure.

From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia

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

In 1967, he sold 30 million car stereos and tapes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 30, 2023

He imported Scandinavian home furnishings and built high-end stereos.

From New York Times ● Jun. 30, 2023

TVs, stereos, electronics are safe behind red metal cages.

From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle

Related Words

• audio system
• radio
• sound system