gramophone
gramophone Lexical Profile
gramophone Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An early analog sound-reproducing machine that played recorded audio from a flat, revolving disc, typically featuring a large horn to amplify the sound.
"The antique gramophone crackled to life, filling the parlor with the tinny, nostalgic sound of a 1920s jazz band."
British A record player (chiefly used in older British English).
"She carefully placed the needle on the gramophone to listen to her newly acquired vinyl record."
Word Nuance & Usage
Historically, a 'gramophone' specifically played flat discs while a 'phonograph' played wax cylinders, though the terms are frequently used interchangeably today to refer to any vintage record player.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in 1887 as a trademark by German-American inventor Emile Berliner. He formed the word by reversing the elements of 'phonogram', utilizing the Greek 'gramma' (letter/record) and 'phōnē' (sound).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.