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talking head

American  

noun

  1. Television Slang. a closeup picture of a person who is talking, especially as a participant in a talk show.

  2. Slang. a person whose talk is empty and pretentious.

talking head British  

noun

  1. (on television) a person, such as a newscaster, who is shown only from the shoulders up, and speaks without the use of any illustrative material

"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

Etymology

Origin of talking head

First recorded in 1965–70

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.

The film, directed by Douglas Tirola, is assembled from various archival materials; the only talking head belongs to Bernstein himself.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

As one talking head in the documentary notes, multiple perspectives are necessary in any complicated conversation.

From Salon • Jul. 2, 2025

Seacrest is a benign countenance, almost by design, an apolitical figure who rarely offers the audience much in the way of personal details, even in his role as pop culture talking head.

From Slate • Dec. 17, 2024

Another talking head comments, “She’s just a person you can’t believe,” leaving plenty of room for the viewer to believe it’s Selena he is referring to.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2024

“At best we’re saying we don’t know,” says the talking head.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.