- a device used in sound-reproduction systems for converting sound into electrical energy, usually by means of a ribbon or diaphragm set into motion by the sound waves. The vibrations are converted into the equivalent audio-frequency electric currents
Compare loudspeaker
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
mi•cro•phone /ˈmaɪkrəˌfoʊn/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Electronicsan instrument that changes sound waves into electric currents, used in recording or transmitting sound.
mi•cro•phone
(mī′krə fōn′),USA pronunciation n.
- Electronicsan instrument capable of transforming sound waves into changes in electric currents or voltage, used in recording or transmitting sound.
- micro-, in sense "enlarging'' (extracted from microscope) + -phone 1875–80
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
microphone /ˈmaɪkrəˌfəʊn/ n
'microphone' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
baffle
- boom
- bug
- bullhorn
- feedback
- gobo
- headset
- hearing aid
- hot
- loud-hailer
- mike
- -phone
- side tone
- Snickometer
- speakerphone
- telephone
- transducer
- transmitter
- acoustic feedback
- beam
- blast
- body mike
- diaphragm
- directional microphone
- hot-wire
- hydrophone
- intercom
- intercommunication system
- lapel mike
- lap microphone
- lavaliere
- lavaliere microphone
- mic
- microphonic
- microphonism
- mike fright
- mix
- off-mike
- omnidirectional
- on-mike
- open
- recording head
- ribbon microphone
- talk
- throat microphone
- velocity microphone
- shotgun microphone