tuner
Americannoun
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a person or thing that tunes.
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the portion of a radio or television receiver that captures the broadcast signal and feeds it to other circuits in the set for further processing.
noun
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a person who tunes instruments, esp pianos
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the part of a radio or television receiver for selecting only those signals having a particular frequency
Etymology
Origin of tuner
1570–80; 1905–10 tuner for def. 2; tune + -er 1
Explanation
A tuner is an electronic device that receives signals and allows you to listen to the radio or watch television. Another kind of tuner is used to adjust the pitch of a musical instrument. One kind of tuner can receive digital signals so you can watch television, and another kind is built into your car radio. A person can be a tuner too, such as an expert who makes adjustments to a piano's strings until the pitch is correct. There are also small electronic tuners that attach to an instrument like a guitar. Before it meant "instrument adjuster," a tuner was a "musician or singer."
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.
A chance encounter with a piano tuner -- the husband of his wife's friend -- set him wondering what this previously unconsidered profession was all about.
From Barron's • Jan. 23, 2026
His talent caught the attention of a piano tuner who surprised him with an amazing gift - a grand piano.
From BBC • Jan. 10, 2023
Each instrument comes with a case, a book of chords and a tuner.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2022
The piano tuner, Maria Caputo, sat on a rock nearby to tweak the instrument when needed, which was often because of the cold and damp.
From New York Times • Nov. 2, 2021
Instead, the tuner jumped to the next available station, and this time it was a woman’s voice delivering the bad news.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
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.
