Meanings
speaker1
nounspeaker (plural speakers)
plural speakers
- One who speaks.
There were three different speakers, but I couldn't make out their accents.
3 more examples
This title is derived from the first verse of the book (1.1), which is a heading or colophon informing the reader who this Qoheleth was: he was the author of the book, or at least the speaker of the words which are contained in it ...
1989, R. Norman Whybray, Ecclesiastes, A&C Black, →ISBN, page 15As [David] Bellos points out, those born as English speakers are now a minority of English speakers: most speak it as a second language. English is the world’s biggest interlanguage.
2011 October 28, Adam Thirlwell, “The Joyful Side of Translation”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 12 Nov 2020Each written word when spoken is mutually incomprehensible between a Mandarin speaker in Beijing and a Cantonese speaker in Hong Kong. If you think that’s odd, consider our number system: the symbol “9” is universally recognized but it’s pronounced “nine” in English and “devet” in Slovenian.
2021 April 25, John Malathronas, “Which languages are easiest – and most difficult – for native English speakers to learn?”, in CNN, archived from the original on 22 Mar 2022 - Loudspeaker.
She lost her hearing after standing too close to the speaker at the festival.
- governmentThe chair or presiding officer of certain legislative bodies, such as the U.K. House of Commons or the U.S. House of Representatives.
- One who makes a speech to an audience.
hired speaker; motivational speaker
2 more examples
Near-synonyms: orator, presenter, announcer
The company hired a motivational speaker to boost morale.
Synonyms: speechmaker, orator, presenter, announcer
- especiallyThe producer of a given utterance, whether speech or text.
The speaker spelled out the words to be communicated, letter by letter, while the reader's hand read the speaker's message. In its original form the hand alphabet assumed that both speaker and reader could already speak and spell the words ...
2002, Merlin Donald, A Mind So Rare: The Evolution of Human Consciousness, W. W. Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 242- especiallycommunicationsThe literary character uttering the lyrics of a poem or song, as opposed to the author writing the words of that character.
Popular culture often incorrectly attributes quotes from the speakers of poems or songs to the authors thereof, as when "I took the one less traveled by" is attributed to Robert Frost rather than to the speaker in Frost's "The Road Not Taken".
- entertainmentA key on a woodwind instrument of the clarinet family (compare octave key on other instruments) which induces the instrument to overblow.
- archaicA wooden pole or spike used by hedgers to carry loads on their shoulders. Possibly Dorset dialect.
With a speäker, or stake, he tossed the outlying scraps of fuel on the into the conflagration.
1878, Thomas Hardy, The Return of the Native, page 18
Speaker2
nounSpeaker (plural Speakers)
plural Speakers
- governmentAlternative letter-case form of speaker (“presiding officer of a legislative body”).
proper noun
- A surname
Synonyms & antonyms
nounOne who makes a speech to an audience.
several senses
Similar
Broader
More synonyms by meaning
nounsomeone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
Broader
nounelectro-acoustic transducer that converts electrical signals into sounds loud enough to be heard at a distance
Similar
Broader
electro-acoustic transducer
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*spregʰ-?
- Proto-Indo-European*spreg-?
- Proto-Germanic*sprekaną
- Proto-West Germanic*sprekan
- Old Englishsprecan
- Old Englishspecan
- Middle Englishspeken
- Middle Englishspekere, speker
- Englishspeaker
From Middle English speker, spekere, an alteration (with change of suffix) of Old English speca, spreca (“speaker”), from Proto-Germanic *sprekô (“speaker”), equivalent to speak + -er. Compare Saterland Frisian Spreeker (“speaker”), West Frisian sprekker (“speaker”), Dutch spreker (“speaker”), German Low German Spreker (“speaker”), German Sprecher (“speaker”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic خَطِيب, مُتَكَلِّم
- خَطِيب (ḵaṭīb)one who speaks
- مُتَكَلِّم (mutakallim)one who speaks
- مُحَدِّث (muḥaddiṯ)one who speaks
- سَمَاعَة (samāʕa)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Basque hiztun mintzazaile, bozgorailu
- hiztun mintzazaileone who speaks
- bozgorailuloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- ganberako presidentepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- ganberako burupolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- hizlarione who makes a speech to an audience
- mintzalarione who makes a speech to an audience
Bulgarian говори́тел, говори́телка
- говори́тел (govorítel)one who speaks
- говори́телка (govorítelka)one who speaks
- високоговори́тел (visokogovorítel)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- председа́тел (predsedátel)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- говори́тел (govorítel)one who makes a speech to an audience
- говори́телка (govorítelka)one who makes a speech to an audience
- ора́тор (orátor)one who makes a speech to an audience
Catalan parlant, altaveu
- parlantone who speaks
- altaveuloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- oradorone who makes a speech to an audience
Chinese Cantonese 講員 /讲员
- 講員 /讲员 (gong² jyun⁴)one who makes a speech to an audience
Chinese Mandarin 說話者 /说话者, 發話者 /发话者
- 說話者 /说话者 (shuōhuàzhě)one who speaks
- 發話者 /发话者 (fāhuàzhě)one who speaks
- 揚聲器 /扬声器 (yángshēngqì)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 喇叭 (lǎba)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 音箱 (yīnxiāng)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 議長 /议长 (yìzhǎng)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- 報告人 /报告人 (bàogào rén)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 發言者 /发言者 (fāyánzhě)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 演講人 /演讲人 (yǎnjiǎng rén)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 講員 /讲员 (jiǎngyuán)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 演說者 /演说者 (yǎnshuōzhě)one who makes a speech to an audience
Czech mluvčí, reproduktor
- mluvčíone who speaks
- reproduktorloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- řečníkone who makes a speech to an audience
Danish taler, højttaler
- talerone who speaks
- højttalerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Dutch spreker, spreekster
- sprekerone who speaks
- spreeksterone who speaks
- boxloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- luidsprekerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Esperanto parolanto, laŭtparolilo
- parolantoone who speaks
- laŭtparoliloloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- parolantoone who makes a speech to an audience
- parolintoone who makes a speech to an audience
- parolontoone who makes a speech to an audience
Estonian rääkija, kõneleja
- rääkijaone who speaks
- kõnelejaone who speaks
- kõlarloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- valjuhääldiloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- spiikerpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
Finnish puhuja, kaiutin
- puhujaone who speaks
- kaiutinloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- puhemiespolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- puhujaone who makes a speech to an audience
- puheopasbook
- puhujalinguistics: producer of a given utterance
French parleur, parleuse
- parleurone who speaks
- parleuseone who speaks
- locuteurone who speaks
- locutriceone who speaks
- baffleloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- haut-parleurloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- présidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- présidentepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- orateurone who makes a speech to an audience
- oratriceone who makes a speech to an audience
- intervenantone who makes a speech to an audience
- intervenanteone who makes a speech to an audience
- présidentthe presiding officer of a legislative body
German Sprecher, Sprecherin
- Sprecherone who speaks
- Sprecherinone who speaks
- Lautsprecherloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- Vorsitzenderpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Vorsitzendepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Nationalratspräsidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Nationalratspräsidentinpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Bundestagspräsidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Bundestagspräsidentinpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Parlamentspräsidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Parlamentspräsidentinpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- Präsident des Unterhausespolitics: the chair or presiding officer
Greek ομιλητής, μεγάφωνο
- ομιλητής (omilitís)one who speaks
- μεγάφωνο (megáfono)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- ηχείο (icheío)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- πρόεδρος (próedros)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- ομιλητής (omilitís)one who makes a speech to an audience
- ρήτορας (rítoras)one who makes a speech to an audience
Hebrew רַמְקוֹל, יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ
- רַמְקוֹל (ramkol)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- יוֹשֵׁב רֹאשׁ (yoshév rosh)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- יו״ר (yor)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- נוֹאֵם (noém)one who makes a speech to an audience
- מציג (matsíg)one who makes a speech to an audience
- מרצה (martsé)one who makes a speech to an audience
Hindi वक्ता, वाचक
- वक्ता (vaktā)one who speaks
- वाचक (vācak)one who speaks
- सभापति (sabhāpti)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- अध्यक्ष (adhyakṣ)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- वक्ता (vaktā)one who makes a speech to an audience
Hungarian beszélő, hangszóró
- beszélőone who speaks
- hangszóróloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- hangfalloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- kihangosítóloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- kihangosításloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- házelnökpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- szónokone who makes a speech to an audience
Icelandic mælandi, hátalari
- mælandione who speaks
- hátalariloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Indonesian penutur, pengeras suara
- penuturone who speaks
- pengeras suaraloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- pelantangloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- sepikerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- pembicaraone who makes a speech to an audience
- bahasawanlinguistics: producer of a given utterance
- penuturlinguistics: producer of a given utterance
- pemakai bahasalinguistics: producer of a given utterance
- pengguna bahasalinguistics: producer of a given utterance
Italian parlante, altoparlante
- parlanteone who speaks
- altoparlanteloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- presidentepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- presidentessapolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- relatoreone who makes a speech to an audience
- relatriceone who makes a speech to an audience
Japanese 話者, 話し手
- 話者 (washa)one who speaks
- 話し手 (hanashite)one who speaks
- スピーカー (supīkā)one who speaks
- スピーカー (supīkā)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 拡音器 (kakuonki)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 議長 (gichō)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- 話者 (washa)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 演説家 (enzetsuka)one who makes a speech to an audience
Korean 화자, 스피커
- 화자 (hwaja)one who speaks
- 스피커 (seupikeo)one who speaks
- 스피커 (seupikeo)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 확성기 (hwakseonggi)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 고성기 (goseonggi)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 경음기 (gyeong'eumgi)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- 의장 (uijang)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- 연설자 (yeonseolja)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 연사 (yeonsa)one who makes a speech to an audience
- 화자 (hwaja)one who makes a speech to an audience
Latin orator
- oratorone who speaks
Latvian skaļrunis, reproduktors
- skaļrunisloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- reproduktorsloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Lithuanian garsiakalbis
- garsiakalbisloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Malay pembesar suara, penutur
- pembesar suaraloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- penuturlinguistics: producer of a given utterance
Māori kaikōrero, tukuoro
- kaikōreroone who speaks
- tukuoroloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- kaiwhaikōreroone who makes a speech to an audience
- kaiwhaikupuone who makes a speech to an audience
Norwegian Bokmål taler, høyttaler
- talerone who speaks
- høyttalerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- høytalerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- høgtalerloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- speakerpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- parlamentstalsmannpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- parlamentspresidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
Polish mówca, mówczyni
- mówcaone who speaks
- mówczynione who speaks
- mówiącyone who speaks
- mówiącaone who speaks
- głośnikloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- marszałekpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- przewodniczącypolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- spikerpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- mówcaone who makes a speech to an audience
Portuguese falante, alto-falante
- falanteone who speaks
- alto-falanteloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- altifalanteloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- caixa de somloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- presidentepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- oradorone who makes a speech to an audience
- oradoraone who makes a speech to an audience
Romanian vorbitor, vorbitoare
- vorbitorone who speaks
- vorbitoareone who speaks
- difuzorloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- președintepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- speakerpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- vorbitorone who makes a speech to an audience
- vorbitoareone who makes a speech to an audience
- oratorone who makes a speech to an audience
- oratoareone who makes a speech to an audience
Russian носи́тель, говоря́щий
- носи́тель (nosítelʹ)one who speaks
- говоря́щий (govorjáščij)one who speaks
- спи́кер (spíker)one who speaks
- громкоговори́тель (gromkogovorítelʹ)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- дина́мик (dinámik)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- коло́нка (kolónka)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- спи́кер (spíker)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- спи́кер (spíker)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- докла́дчик (dokládčik)one who makes a speech to an audience
- ора́тор (orátor)one who makes a speech to an audience
Slovak hovorca, rečník
- hovorcaone who speaks
- rečníkone who speaks
- reproduktorloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- rečníkone who makes a speech to an audience
Spanish hablante, parlante
- hablanteone who speaks
- parlanteone who speaks
- altavozloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- altoparlanteloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- parlanteloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- bocinaloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- bafleloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- magnavozloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- oradorone who makes a speech to an audience
- oradoraone who makes a speech to an audience
- ponenteone who makes a speech to an audience
- locutorone who makes a speech to an audience
Swahili spika
- spikaloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Swedish talare, högtalare
- talareone who speaks
- högtalareloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- talmanpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- presidentpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- föredragandepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- ordförandepolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- talareone who makes a speech to an audience
- föreläsareone who makes a speech to an audience
Thai ลำโพง, โฆษก
- ลำโพง (lam-poong)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- โฆษก (koo-sòk)one who makes a speech to an audience
Turkish konuşmacı, hoparlör
- konuşmacıone who speaks
- hoparlörloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- sunucuone who makes a speech to an audience
- spikerone who makes a speech to an audience
Ukrainian мо́вець, мовля́нин
- мо́вець (móvecʹ)one who speaks
- мовля́нин (movljányn)one who speaks
- спі́кер (spíker)one who speaks
- гучномо́вець (hučnomóvecʹ)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- спі́кер (spíker)politics: the chair or presiding officer
- промо́вець (promóvecʹ)one who makes a speech to an audience
- ора́тор (orátor)one who makes a speech to an audience
Urdu مُتَکَلِم, مُتَکَلِّم
- مُتَکَلِم (mutakalim)one who speaks
- مُتَکَلِّم (mutakallim)one who speaks
- گویَنْدَہ (goyanda)one who speaks
- مکبر الصوت (mukabbir-ussaut)loudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Vietnamese loa, nghị trưởng
- loaloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
- nghị trưởngpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- chủ tịch nghị việnpolitics: the chair or presiding officer
- nhà hùng biệnone who makes a speech to an audience
- người diển thuyếtone who makes a speech to an audience
Welsh seinydd
- seinyddloudspeaker — see also loudspeaker
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with speaker
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
speaker. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaker
MLA
“speaker.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaker. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “speaker,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/speaker.
Source: speaker on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.