headset

noun

head·​set ˈhed-ˌset How to pronounce headset (audio)
plural headsets
1
: a support framework with attached electronic devices that is worn on the head: such as
a
: an earphone or a pair of earphones held on the head by a band
Earbuds, tiny round speakers which fit snugly into the ear, are near-invisible as they don't use a headband, but they don't fit every ear. The traditional banded headsets either completely enclose the ear or just sit gently over the opening.Joe Brown
Using discreet headsets with single earpiece headphones, the free audio-described tour will be delivered by a professional audio describer.Lincoln Tan
… a hybrid tech earbud headset with magnetic tipped earbuds.Gregg Ellman
especially : such a headset that also includes an attached microphone
… you should seriously consider getting a separate microphone or using a headset with a decent boom mic for much better audio quality than anything these webcams can capture. Will Greenwald
All you need for this is a hands-free headset for your telephone. Once you're properly equipped, you can make personal phone calls while simultaneously using your computer for personal entertainment. Paul McFedries
b
: virtual reality hardware (such as goggles and headphones) that is held on the head by one or more bands or straps
… stitches together multiple images to create a panoramic, 360-degree environment, and provides a virtual-reality headset to put you in the middle of a real video. You merely glance left or right, up or down, to see a different portion of the 3-D world you're in.Jake Kirchner
2
: the support framework of a headset
… the wearable computer mounted in the headset of a pair of glasses …David McNamee

Examples of headset in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
It must be seen (via a special virtual reality headset) to be believed. Zachary Laks, Travel + Leisure, 15 May 2026 Her screams still haunt the building according to some, which explains the faint sounds of a distressed woman that Pierre kept picking up on his headset earlier. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 May 2026 The smart glasses are to run on Google’s Android XR operating system, already in place on the Samsung Galaxy XR headset, and is expected to have Gemini integration. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026 One goes in the Gamehub while the other is in the headset. Gieson Cacho, Mercury News, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for headset

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of headset was in 1900

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Cite this Entry

“Headset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headset. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

headset

noun
head·​set -ˌset How to pronounce headset (audio)
: a pair of headphones

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