What does headphone mean?
A headphone is a device worn over or around the ear for listening to music, speech, broadcasts, or other audio. In everyday use, the word most often appears in the plural “headphones,” because people generally listen with a pair of earpieces rather than with a single device. The term is standard and neutral in English, appearing in technology, education, transport, sport, and entertainment contexts. Headphones may be wired or wireless, open-backed or closed, and designed to reduce ambient noise. The singular can refer to one earpiece, as when someone reports that one headphone has stopped working, though it can also emphasize a particular component of a set. Compared with the more general “earphones,” “headphone” often suggests a larger personal listening device, including models worn over the ears. Compared with “headset,” it usually lacks the microphone intended for two-way communication. Together, these distinctions make “headphone” a familiar term for one of the most visible forms of personal audio equipment.
nounA small device worn over or around one ear for listening to audio, usually as one of a pair. Headphones may be connected by a wire or used wirelessly.
- A device worn over or around one ear to listen to audio, usually one of a pair of headphones.
- One earpiece or individual component of a pair of headphones.
"She tapped the headphone on the desk while waiting for the recording to begin."
"The technician replaced the damaged headphone on the left side."
"A single headphone can provide private listening without disturbing the people nearby."
The plural is standard when referring to a pair or complete set of headphones worn for listening.
"These wireless headphones have an excellent battery life."
The word literally describes a telephone for the head: audio technology that follows the listener wherever they go.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of headphone
“Headphone” is an English compound formed from “head” and “phone,” referring to a device that brings telephone-like sound directly to the listener’s head. The compound developed during the 20th century as personal audio equipment became increasingly common. “Phone” comes through French and Latin from Greek phōnē, meaning “sound” or “voice,” and is also the source of related forms such as “telephone” and “microphone.” The word “head” is the older Germanic element naming the part of the body over which the device is worn.
Related word forms
How headphone is actually used
The singular is normal when referring to one earpiece or component, but the plural is much more common when referring to the complete personal audio set. In informal contexts, “cans” is a widely used synonym.
Easily confused with headphone
An earphone is an individual earpiece, while headphones commonly refers to a complete pair or set worn over both ears.
A headset generally includes a microphone as well as an earpiece and is designed especially for communication.