noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

karaoke

KA-ree-oh-kee

Karaoke (noun) means a form of entertainment, popular at bars and parties, where people take turns singing along to recorded backing tracks while the lyrics scroll on a screen. Example: “We booked a private karaoke room for her birthday.”

noun

A form of entertainment, popular at bars and parties, where people take turns singing along to recorded backing tracks while the lyrics scroll on a screen.

"We booked a private karaoke room for her birthday."

"He always picks the same power ballad whenever karaoke night comes around."

verb

To sing along to a pre-recorded backing track, typically for fun in front of others.

"They karaoked until the bar closed at 2am."

How to use karaoke

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSinging along to instrumental versions of songs, usually for fun with friends.

Common pairings

karaoke night karaoke bar sing karaoke karaoke machine

Word forms

karaoked past tense, karaokes plural, karaokes singular

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We booked a private _____ room for her birthday.

Etymology

From Japanese karaoke, a blend of kara ("empty") and oke, a shortened form of okesutora ("orchestra") — literally an "empty orchestra" backing track with no vocals.

Origin: Japanese

Rhymes for karaoke

woke coke poke joke toke yoke hoke broke spoke smoke bloke stoke

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Frequently asked questions

What does “karaoke” mean?

The word “karaoke” means a form of entertainment, popular at bars and parties, where people take turns singing along to recorded backing tracks while the lyrics scroll on a screen. In plain terms, singing along to instrumental versions of songs, usually for fun with friends.

How do you pronounce “karaoke”?

“Karaoke” is pronounced KA-ree-oh-kee (/ˈkæ.ɹiˌəʊ.ki/ in IPA).

How do you use “karaoke” in a sentence?

Here is “karaoke” used in a sentence: “We booked a private karaoke room for her birthday.”

What part of speech is “karaoke”?

Depending on how it is used, “karaoke” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “karaoke” come from?

The word “karaoke” comes from Japanese. From Japanese karaoke, a blend of kara ("empty") and oke, a shortened form of okesutora ("orchestra") — literally an "empty orchestra" backing track with no vocals.

Is “karaoke” a common word?

“Karaoke” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

How many meanings does “karaoke” have?

“Karaoke” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a form of entertainment, popular at bars and parties, where people take turns singing along to recorded backing tracks while the lyrics scroll on a screen.

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Vocabulary lists that include karaoke:

Words with Japanese origins Words that start with K