earphones
|ear/phones|
A2
🇺🇸
/ˈɪrˌfoʊnz/
🇬🇧
/ˈɪəfəʊnz/
(earphone)
personal audio device
Etymology
Etymology Information
'earphone' originates from the combination of 'ear' and 'phone', where 'ear' refers to the organ of hearing and 'phone' is derived from 'telephone', meaning 'sound'.
Historical Evolution
'earphone' evolved from the concept of 'telephone' and 'ear', eventually becoming the modern English word 'earphone'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it referred to any device that transmitted sound to the ear, but now it specifically refers to small, portable audio devices.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a small device that is worn in or over the ears to listen to audio without disturbing others.
She plugged in her earphones to listen to music on the bus.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/02/13 01:53