audio

A2 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈɔ.di.oʊ/ UK /ˈɔː.di.əʊ/ See IPA manual

Freq #7583

Meanings

1

noun
Sound, especially when it is recorded or broadcast.

Usage: For recorded or broadcast sound, audio is commonly uncountable: clear audio or the audio in a video. It can be discussed separately from the picture.

The audio in the interview was clear despite the traffic outside.

The video was great, but the audio was too quiet.
2

adj
Relating to sound or its recording and broadcasting.

Plug the audio cable into the back of the speaker.
3

noun
A piece of recorded sound.

She sent me an audio of the lecture.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · sound, especially when it... sound

3 noun · a piece of recorded sound. audio recordingsound recording

Word family

Derived forms audiationaudio-bookaudio-descriptionaudio-typistaudioboardaudiocentricaudiocentrismaudioconferenceaudiotapeaudiotrackaudiovisualaudism

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

audio amplifier
a device that strengthens an electrical signal representing sound

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Audio is Latin for “I hear.”

Etymology

Shortened from audio-, a combining form taken from Latin audiō, to hear, whose infinitive is audīre.

*h₂ew- Proto-Indo-European audire Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# audio

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɔ.di.oʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈɔː.di.əʊ/
**Frequency rank:** 7583

## Meanings
1. Sound, especially when it is recorded or broadcast.
2. Relating to sound or its recording and broadcasting.
3. A piece of recorded sound.

## Usage Notes
- Sound, especially when it is recorded or broadcast.: For recorded or broadcast sound, audio is commonly uncountable: clear audio or the audio in a video. It can be discussed separately from the picture.

## Examples
- The audio in the interview was clear despite the traffic outside.
- The video was great, but the audio was too quiet.
- Plug the audio cable into the back of the speaker.
- She sent me an audio of the lecture.

## Derived Forms
- audiation
- audio-book
- audio-description
- audio-typist
- audioboard
- audiocentric
- audiocentrism
- audioconference
- audiotape
- audiotrack
- audiovisual
- audism

## Related Forms
- video

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *h₂ew-
- Root: audire - to hear

## Etymology
Shortened from audio-, a combining form taken from Latin audiō, to hear, whose infinitive is audīre.

## AI Etymology
Audio is a clipping of audio-. Cognates include Sanskrit आविस् (āvís, “manifestly, evidently”) and Ancient Greek αἰσθάνομαι (aisthánomai, “perceive, notice”) whence English aesthetic. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew-.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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