audiovisual
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
Other Word Forms
- audiovisually adverb
Etymology
Origin of audiovisual
Explanation
Audiovisual things incorporate both sight and sound. Television is an audiovisual type of entertainment, unlike radio, which is only auditory, and unlike comic books, which are purely visual. Audio means "sound" or "hearing," while visual means "sight" or "seeing." So the word audiovisual refers to things that engage both your sense of sight and your sense of hearing. The word can be an adjective as in "audiovisual material" or a noun as in "we need some audiovisuals." Education is one setting where you might encounter this word, since teachers are often very focused on making sure that their learning aids engage the senses.
Vocabulary lists containing audiovisual
Common Senses: Aud ("Hear")
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aud
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Florida's B.E.S.T. Roots: aud
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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.
Brief audiovisual interruptions can have a significant negative effect on our professional and personal lives, according to research from consumer psychologists.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026
Naveed remains in hospital and will face court by audiovisual link on Wednesday, police said.
From Barron's • Dec. 17, 2025
The “Anthology” project found its origins in the early 1970s when Beatles insiders Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans began compiling “Scrapbook,” their rudimentary attempt at taking an audiovisual inventory of the group’s history.
From Salon • Nov. 21, 2025
“We’re all filmmakers now. We’re experiencing audiovisual material all the time in a way we never have before as a culture, and that’s got to be reflected in the cinema.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2025
“Upton,” Mr. Mwila said, “please wheel the projector to the audiovisual room.”
From "P.S. Be Eleven" by Rita Williams-Garcia
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
