phonograph

American  

[foh-nuh-graf, -grahf] / ˈfoʊ nəˌgræf, -ˌgrɑf /

noun

1. any sound-reproducing machine using records in the form of cylinders or discs.

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phonograph British  

/ ˈfəʊnəˌɡrɑːf, -ˌɡræf /

noun

1. an early form of gramophone capable of recording and reproducing sound on wax cylinders

2. Also called: gramophone.   record player.  a device for reproducing the sounds stored on a record: now usually applied to the nearly obsolete type that uses a clockwork motor and acoustic horn

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Etymology

Origin of phonograph

1825–35 in sense “phonogram”; 1877 for the “talking phonograph” invented by T. A. Edison; phono- + -graph

Compare meaning

How does phonograph compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• phonograph vs. gramophone
• phonograph vs. record player

Explanation

A phonograph is a record player, an old-fashioned machine that plays music recorded on an engraved disk. The phonograph was the first machine that could both record and play sounds. Thomas Edison invented the phonograph in 1877, and it evolved first into the gramophone and then the record player or turntable. Phonographs are distinguished by the large horns through which music is broadcast. A record revolves on the phonograph's base, and when the stylus or needle is placed on top, it vibrates and reproduces the recorded sounds. The word comes from the Greek roots phono, "sound," and graph, "instrument for recording."

Example Sentences

In his downtime he would travel by horse and buggy across Pennsylvania and neighboring states with what he called his "exhibition": a new-fangled Edison phonograph, a magic lantern slide projector and later on, movies.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

Meanwhile, first the phonograph and then the radio revolutionized home entertainment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 15, 2026

These funds were used to purchase local books, periodicals, phonograph records, and "other media" in multiple Indian languages, enriching collections at over two dozen universities.

From BBC • Dec. 29, 2024

Ms. Stoneman made her mark in 1957 with her driving instrumental version of “Lonesome Road Blues,” which made her the first woman to play modern bluegrass banjo on a phonograph record.

From New York Times • Feb. 26, 2024

A good example is the history of Thomas Edison’s phonograph, the most original invention of the greatest inventor of modern times.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond

Related Words

• stereo