headphone

headphone — adjective

1. used to describe a socket, plug, cable, or other accessory that connects or work

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

used to describe a socket, plug, cable, or other accessory that connects or works with a device worn over the ears for listening to audio.

Example

The headphone jack on my laptop stopped working after I dropped it.

collocation: headphone jack

Anong plugged her microphone into the headphone socket by mistake.

collocation: headphone socket

Common collocations
  • headphone jack
  • headphone socket
  • headphone cable
  • headphone port
  • headphone amplifier
  • headphone splitter

Grammar Patterns

headphone + noun

Usage Note

This attributive form always appears before a noun that names an accessory, connector, or feature (e.g. jack, socket, cable, amplifier, splitter). It is never used predicatively.

Common Mistakes

This socket is headphone.
This is a headphone socket.
the adjective form must be followed by a noun; it cannot stand alone as a complement.

headphone — noun

Word family

  • headphones
    noun (plural)B1
  • headset
    nounB1
  • earphone
    nounB1
  • earbud
    nounA2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Headphones, earphones, and earbuds all let a person listen to audio privately, but they differ in shape and formality. Headphones most often refers to over-ear or on-ear devices with a headband, making them the broadest term. Earphones are smaller, sometimes without a headband, and may be wired or wireless. Earbuds are a subtype of earphones that sit inside the ear canal, common with smartphones. A headset adds a microphone to headphones or earphones and is used for calls or gaming. Cans is an informal British slang term for large over-ear headphones. For most everyday situations, headphones is the safest choice. Example: "She put on her headphones to block out the noise." vs. "He put in his earbuds before the jog."

earphonesearbudsheadset ↗cans

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • a pair of headphones
  • put on headphones
  • take off headphones
  • wear headphones

Prepositions

  • through headphones
  • with headphones

Etymology

GreekEnglish

Headphone is a compound word formed from 'head' (referring to the part of the body the device sits on) and 'phone' (short for telephone or headphone, from Greek 'phōnē' meaning 'sound' or 'voice'). The term entered English in the early 20th century alongside the development of early radio and telephone equipment.