speaker

noun

speak·​er ˈspē-kər How to pronounce speaker (audio)
Synonyms of speakernext
1
a
: one that speaks
especially : one who uses a language
native speakers of French
b
: one who makes a public speech
c
: one who acts as a spokesperson
2
: the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly
Speaker of the House of Representatives
3
: loudspeaker
speakership
ˈspē-kər-ˌship How to pronounce speaker (audio)
noun

Synonyms of speaker

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of speaker in a Sentence

I disagree with the last speaker. He is an excellent public speaker.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Dolly Parton played on the speakers as Burley flipped through her photos. — Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 2 Sep. 2026 Our judges include some of today’s most influential creators and thinkers, including award-winning authors Jason Reynolds & Angie Thomas and writer and speaker Bartunde Thurston. — Usa Today Network Staff Reports, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 The book is largely plotless with little characterization beyond what the speakers reveal in their monologues, which are mostly filtered through Faye’s narrative rather than presented as dialogue. — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Sep. 2026 Details such as accurate speaker attribution, timestamps, terminology and readable formatting are often viewed as production features. — Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for speaker

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of speaker was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing speaker

Rhymes for speaker

See All Rhymes for speaker

Browse Nearby Words

speakeasy
speaker
speakeress
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Speaker.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/speaker. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

speaker

noun
speak·​er ˈspē-kər How to pronounce speaker (audio)
1
: a person who speaks
2
: a person who conducts a meeting (as of a legislature)
3
: loudspeaker

Legal Definition

speaker

noun
speak·​er
often capitalized
: the presiding officer of a deliberative assembly
Speaker of the House

More from Merriam-Webster on speaker

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about speaker

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All