speaker

The word “speaker” means a device that converts electrical signals into sound. In plain terms, someone who talks or gives a speech, a device that plays sound, or (capitalized) the head of certain parliaments.

“Speaker” is pronounced SPEE-kuh (/ˈspikɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “speaker” used in a sentence: “He plugged his phone into the Bluetooth speaker.”

Words with a similar meaning to “speaker” include talker.

“Speaker” is a noun.

The word “speaker” comes from Old English. From Old English speca/spreca, "speaker," built from speak plus the agent suffix -er.

“Speaker” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Speaker” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a device that converts electrical signals into sound.

They are opposites in function. A speaker converts electrical signals into sound you can hear, while a microphone converts sound into electrical signals to be recorded or transmitted. In fact the two contain similar parts — a diaphragm and magnet — working in reverse of each other.

A speaker receives an electrical audio signal and passes it through a coil sitting within a magnetic field. The changing current makes the coil and an attached cone vibrate, pushing the air back and forth. Those air vibrations travel to your ears, where they are heard as sound.

Speakers come in many forms, including bookshelf and floor-standing models for home audio, portable Bluetooth speakers, soundbars, and studio monitors. Within a single unit, different drivers handle different frequencies: woofers reproduce low bass, tweeters produce high treble, and subwoofers deliver the deepest tones.