audio

¹ American

[aw-dee-oh] / ˈɔ diˌoʊ /

adjective

Electronics. designating an electronic apparatus using audio frequencies.

audio amplifier.
of, relating to, or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound.
of or relating to frequencies or signals in the audible range.

noun

Television.
1. the audio elements of television (video ).
2. the circuits in a receiver for reproducing sound.
3. the audio part of a television broadcast.
the field of sound recording, transmission, reception, and reproduction.

audio- ² American

a combining form used in the formation of compound words, with the meanings: “sound within the range of human hearing” (audiometer ); “hearing” (audiology ); “sound reproduction” (audiophile ).

audio ¹ British

/ ˈɔːdɪˌəʊ /

noun

of or relating to sound or hearing

audio frequency
relating to or employed in the transmission, reception, or reproduction of sound
of, concerned with, or operating at audio frequencies

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

audio- ² British

combining form

indicating hearing or sound

audiometer
audiovisual

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of audio¹

First recorded in 1920–25; independent use of audio-

Origin of audio-²

< Latin audī- (stem of audīre to hear) + -o-

Explanation

Audio means sound. If you turn up the volume and turn down the bass on your TV, you adjust the audio. The noun audio always refers to what you can hear, although there are several different ways to use it. If you covet expensive speakers for your stereo, you wish for new audio equipment, and when someone complains about the sound at a movie theater he might say, "The audio is way too loud." Audio was first used as a prefix, in words like audio-frequency, and came to mean "recorded sound" in the 1930s.

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Vocabulary lists containing audio

Common Senses: Aud ("Hear")

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins came out to join in on a cover of his band’s mid-’90s alt-rock hit “1979,” which was more recently trending audio on TikTok and Instagram.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2026