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.
His traveling kit included films, lantern slides, projection equipment and a phonograph. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026 Every one who uses an electric light, watches a motion picture, listens to a phonograph, or rides over an electric railway is in part his debtor. — Alex Knapp, Forbes.com, 14 Feb. 2026 There was the new music form of jazz and new technologies that included the production of photographic film, the phonograph, and moving images. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 22 Apr. 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 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 7 Jul. 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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