phonograph

noun

pho·​no·​graph ˈfō-nə-ˌgraf How to pronounce phonograph (audio)
: an instrument for reproducing sounds by means of the vibration of a stylus or needle following a spiral groove on a revolving disc or cylinder

Examples of phonograph in a Sentence

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The two teams dubbed their product the Magnetophon, or magnetic phonograph, and planned on launching it at the 1934 Berlin Radio Show to compete directly with machines that recorded on steel tape or wire. — IEEE Spectrum, 2 Aug. 2026 New technologies such as the phonograph and the radio spread this regional music, introducing various traditions to new communities. — Ted Olson, The Conversation, 2 July 2026 Accompanying the report was a detailed sketch of Edison’s device, which the inventor called a phonograph. — Ron Cowen, Scientific American, 3 June 2026 In 1932, the inventor Alois Benjamin Saliger patented the Psycho-phone, a phonograph hooked up to a timer which could play recordings while a person was asleep. — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 1 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for phonograph

Word History

Etymology

phono- + -graph

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of phonograph was in 1877

Rhymes for phonograph

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Browse Nearby Words

phonogram
phonograph
phonographer
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Cite this Entry

“Phonograph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phonograph. Accessed 14 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

phonograph

noun
pho·​no·​graph ˈfō-nə-ˌgraf How to pronounce phonograph (audio)
: an instrument that reproduces sound recorded on a grooved disk
phonographic
ˌfō-nə-ˈgraf-ik
adjective
phonographically
-i-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on phonograph

Nglish: Translation of phonograph for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about phonograph

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