MICROPHONE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does microphone mean? 

• MICROPHONE (noun)
  The noun MICROPHONE has 1 sense:

1. device for converting sound waves into electrical energy

  Familiarity information: MICROPHONE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MICROPHONE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Device for converting sound waves into electrical energy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

mic; microphone; mike

Hypernyms ("microphone" is a kind of...):

electro-acoustic transducer (a transducer that converts electrical to acoustic energy or vice versa)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "microphone"):

bug (a small hidden microphone; for listening secretly)

capacitor microphone; capacitor mike; condenser microphone; condenser mike (microphone consisting of a capacitor with one plate fixed and the other forming the diaphragm moved by sound waves)

contact microphone; contact mike (a microphone designed to be used in contact with a source of sound (or with a resonating surface))

crystal microphone; crystal mike (a microphone in which sound waves vibrate a piezoelectric crystal that generates a varying voltage)

directional microphone; directional mike (a microphone that is designed to receive sound from a particular direction)

 Context examples 

A desktop conferencing system consists of a computer, an attached video camera, microphone, and speakers, and a telephone or network connection.

(Desktop Video, NCI Thesaurus)

A network of sensors with microphones and cameras will be created under the Amazon rainforest canopy to collect data on how animals there behave, on an ongoing basis.

(Amazon jungle animals to be monitored by sensors, Agência Brasil)