Meaning & use
headphone
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a small device that fits over or in one ear so you can listen to sound privately
Grammar: Countable: one headphone, two headphones. In everyday speech people usually say 'headphones' for the pair.
Patterns
- a pair of headphones
- put on headphones
- wear headphones
She put one headphone in her ear and listened to the podcast.
The headphone on the left side stopped working.
He always carries a spare headphone in case one breaks.
Word forms
| plural | headphones |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pair of headphones
- I bought a new pair of headphones for the flight.
- put on headphones
- He put on his headphones and started the music.
- wireless headphones
- Wireless headphones are convenient but need charging.
- headphone jack
- My phone doesn't have a headphone jack.
Synonyms and how they differ
- earphone
- Earphone usually means a small device that fits inside the ear; headphone can be larger and cover the ear.
- earbud
- Earbud is a small earphone that sits in the ear; headphone is a more general term.
Word family
- headphones noun
- The usual plural form, meaning a pair of devices for both ears.
Commonly confused: headphone or headset?
headphone vs headset
A headset often includes a microphone and is used for communication; headphones are mainly for listening.
Practice
Fill in the blank: I need to buy a new ______ of headphones.
Choose one answer.
The natural phrase is 'a pair of headphones' because headphones come in twos. 'Set' is possible but less common; 'couple' and 'group' do not fit here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “headphone”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.