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noun

phonograph

FOH-nuh-grahf

Phonograph (noun) means an early device for recording and playing back sound using grooved cylinders or discs, a forerunner of the record player. Example: “The museum has a working phonograph from the early 1900s.”

noun
1
An early device for recording and playing back sound using grooved cylinders or discs, a forerunner of the record player.
"The museum has a working phonograph from the early 1900s."

How to use phonograph

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishAn old-fashioned machine for recording and playing sound, the ancestor of the modern record player.

UK vs US

In American English "phonograph" is the common older term; British English more often used "gramophone" for the same kind of device.

Easily confused with

Word forms

phonographed past tense, phonographs plural, phonographs singular

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Fill the gap

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The museum has a working _____ from the early 1900s.

Etymology

From Greek phono- ("sound") plus -graph ("something written or recorded").

Origin: Greek

record player

Rhymes for phonograph

See all rhymes for phonograph →

Frequently asked questions

What does “phonograph” mean?

The word “phonograph” means an early device for recording and playing back sound using grooved cylinders or discs, a forerunner of the record player. In plain terms, an old-fashioned machine for recording and playing sound, the ancestor of the modern record player.

How do you pronounce “phonograph”?

“Phonograph” is pronounced FOH-nuh-grahf (/ˈfoʊnəˌɡɹæf/ in IPA).

How do you use “phonograph” in a sentence?

Here is “phonograph” used in a sentence: “The museum has a working phonograph from the early 1900s.”

What part of speech is “phonograph”?

“Phonograph” is a noun.

Where does the word “phonograph” come from?

The word “phonograph” comes from Greek. From Greek phono- ("sound") plus -graph ("something written or recorded").

Definitions: FreeDict original editorial