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

On the Inspiron's right side, an old-school USB 2.0 port joins a headphone jack and an SD card slot. —PC Magazine, 13 Apr. 2025

Other typical items like keys and wallets were also on the list, along with glasses and headphones. —Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2025

But the band's tech team also designed monitor systems and headphones that were later adapted by NASA. 19. —Neda Ulaby, NPR, 9 Apr. 2025

Instead of headphones over her ears, Piper smiles into the sun. —Eliana Dockterman, Time, 7 Apr. 2025

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