vocoder

American

[voh-koh-der] / ˈvoʊˌkoʊ dər /

noun

an electronic device that synthesizes speech.

vocoder British

/ ˈvəʊˌkəʊdə /

noun

music a type of synthesizer that uses the human voice as an oscillator

"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 vocoder

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

Martin spent the set switching among the saxophone, synths, the vocoder and doing live production.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 1, 2023

And with this track, they gave us a gem: another Herbie Hancock vocoder song!

From New York Times • Feb. 1, 2023

I’m sure there are lush subtleties to be heard when she juliennes her voice into thick, synthetic chords via vocoder, but so much of her performance was lost in the mix.

From Washington Post • Jan. 31, 2023

By the time Walsh trotted out the vocoder for Henley’s “Those Shoes,” the crowd was as frenzied as you could have hoped, given the lateness of the hour and the average age of attendee.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 6, 2021

As the second set of drawings neared completion, Ishie glanced at the clock, then turned to the Cow's vocoder.

From Where I Wasn't Going by Richmond, Walt

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023