audition

1 of 2

noun

au·​di·​tion ȯ-ˈdi-shən 

1

: the power or sense of hearing

2

: the act of hearing

especially : a critical hearing

an audition of new recordings

3

: a trial performance to appraise an entertainer's merits

audition

2 of 2

verb

auditioned; auditioning ȯ-ˈdi-sh(ə-)niŋ 

transitive verb

: to test or try out especially in an audition

intransitive verb

: to give a trial performance

Did you know?

Today, "audition" most often refers to a theatrical tryout, but that wasn't always the case. "Audition" is rooted in the Latin verb audire, meaning "to hear," and was first used in the late 16th century to refer to the power or sense of hearing. "Audire" is also the root of such "hearing" words in English as "audible," "audience" (which first meant "the act or state of hearing"), and the prefix audio-, which appears in various words relating to sound. It wasn't until late 19th century that the noun "audition" began being used for an entertainer's trial performance. And the verb audition, meaning "to test or try out in an audition," didn't appear on the English language stage until the mid-20th century.

Examples of audition in a Sentence

Verb

When he came in to audition, he was very charming.

They auditioned several girls for the role.

We will audition dancers today.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Ali Ahn never expected to be doing one of the most important auditions of her career from the galley of a sailboat. —Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 5 Nov. 2024

In fact, Jones even used his own birthday party to arrange an impromptu audition for Smith in front of then-NBC-head Brandon Tartikoff. —Christian Holub, EW.com, 4 Nov. 2024

Verb

When auditioning for a lead role in a Korean drama speaking Korean is generally a prerequisite. —Joan MacDonald, Forbes, 2 Nov. 2024

Cryer had landed a CBS deal off the success of Pretty in Pink, but producer Richard Dubin preferred another on-the-rise actor, Ben Stiller, who also auditioned. —Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Middle French & Latin; Middle French, borrowed from Latin audītiōn-, audītiō "act of hearing, report, rumor," from audīre "to hear" + -tiōn- -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at audible entry 1

Verb

derivative of audition entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1599, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1931, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

audition

1 of 2 noun

au·​di·​tion ȯ-ˈdish-ən 

1

: the power or sense of hearing

2

: a short performance to test the talents of a musician, singer, dancer, or actor

audition

2 of 2 verb

auditioned; auditioning

-ˈdish-(ə-)niŋ

: to test or try out in an audition

Medical Definition

audition

noun

au·​di·​tion ȯ-ˈdish-ən 

1

: the power or sense of hearing

2

: the act of hearing