headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

plural headphones

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually plural

So for the gamer to gain that "edge," he must have the best mouse, the smoothest mouse pad or the most sensitive headphones.

—Chris Yong

Strapping on cushy headphones the size of loaves of bread, I'd repeatedly listen to Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" and the music of artists such as Jelly Roll Morton and Billie Holiday.

—Robert Wilder

also : a small earphone inserted into the ear : earbud

in-ear headphones

Examples of headphone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The other team were also given headphones, but each player heard different pieces of music with various rhythms. — Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

New subscribers can get a pair of AirPods 4 in-ear headphones courtesy of T-Mobile. — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 14 Sep. 2026

Under the ordinance, riders cannot carry more passengers than an e-bike or scooter was designed to carry, perform wheelies or other stunts, or use a cellphone or headphones while riding. — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 9 Sep. 2026

My noise-cancelling Apple headphones are therefore an absolute necessity. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for headphone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

headphone

noun

head·​phone ˈhed-ˌfōn 

: an earphone held over the ear by a band worn on the head

—usually used in plural