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

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.
Visitors can step onto the Rosa Parks bus, see Edison’s early lightbulbs and phonographs, and wander through kitchens, appliances, and household tools that chart the steady shift of American life into the modern age. Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025 Three years earlier, two men walked into the office of Pepsi-Cola’s president, carrying a phonograph. Nancy Walecki, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2025 The purpose of the piano was to be able to listen to music before phonographs were available and affordable. Louis Menand, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 Historical uses include fountain pen tips and phonograph needle points, where hardness and wear resistance were essential. Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2025 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Phonograph.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/phonograph. Accessed 1 Jan. 2026.

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

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