Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A small speaker that is worn in or over the ear, especially as one of a pair.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A transducer that converts electric signals into sound and is held near the ear, especially as part of a telephone; an earpiece or headphone.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun electro-acoustic transducer for converting electric signals into sounds; it is held over or inserted into the ear

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

ear +‎ phone.

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Examples

  • The time has come for men and women of good will to begin playing an exciting new game called earphone keggling.

    Buds in Ears, Nothing Between Them Joe Queenan 2011

  • Earphone technology and alien cyborg designs come together in the Sensaphonics 3MAX triple-driver custom earphone, which is being touted as the only triple-driver earphone with the long-wearing comfort of soft-gel silicone earpieces.

    Gearwire - 2010

  • Be aware, though, that this kind of earphone makes noise itself: whenever you're walking, or even just touching the cord, you may hear an unwelcome addition to your music - because of the earplug effect.

    Ubergizmo 2010

  • And also means that the bottom-connected earphone jack is now at the "top," which is more convenient.

    Robert J. Elisberg: The Writers Workbench: iPod Touch Accessories Robert J. Elisberg 2011

  • Moving away from cases, this is an earphone device of a kind that's become important since the iPod generation 3 was introduced, allowing for remote control and a microphone.

    Robert J. Elisberg: The Writers Workbench: iPod Touch Accessories Robert J. Elisberg 2011

  • Joel, earphone should be interchangeable with earbud, I think.

    Paid beats free downloads to iPods 2009

  • For this gaijin, could you explain how a “headphone” is different from an “earphone.”

    Paid beats free downloads to iPods 2009

  • While Pillowhead remembers sitting around during lunch break, "sharing an earphone each with friends or, if you were lucky, a girl".

    The soundtrack to your Walkman years Michael Cragg 2010

  • One company, earphone maker Skullcandy Inc., ended its first day flat; another, SunCoke Energy Inc., rose 6%, and a third, from real-estate website Zillow Inc., popped 79%.

    Retailer Francesca's Jumps in Debut Lynn Cowan 2011

  • I find it much easier to put the plug/earphone part in and then tug my earlobe to open the ear canal with thumb & forefinger whilst pushing the earphone in with my middle finger.

    Properly Insert Earplugs For Better Protection | Lifehacker Australia 2009

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