headphone

From head +‎ phone.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdfəʊn/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhɛdfoʊn/

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

headphone (plural headphones)

1. A cushioned speaker placed on, over, or inside the ear, normally used in left/right pairs.

   circumaural and supra-aural headphones

   Some joggers wear only one headphone in their ears, to enjoy music while paying attention to their environment.

   He put on his headphones before playing Minecraft.

   • 2017, Mark J. Butler, Electronica, Dance and Club Music:

     From "Little" Louie Vega, David Camacho, and Tyrone Francis I learned about seamless beatmixing, using a so-called lollipop headphone for one ear and a monitor speaker for the other.

Also used as a noun modifier (e.g., headphone plug, headphone socket). The device composed of two is referred to in the plural: headphones.

• earphone