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

These Bose headphones that are also marked down to their cheapest price ever ahead of the holidays. —Isabel Garcia, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024

One drawback, however, is that bone conduction headphones can’t produce bass frequencies as well as traditional headphones. —PCMAG, 6 Dec. 2024

Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 Wireless headphones are on sale for $229.95 ($150 off) at Amazon, which is their second-best price to date. —Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 4 Dec. 2024

At just $100, these very well might be your favorite new pair of wireless gaming headphones. —Boutayna Chokrane, WIRED, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

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