headset

noun

head·​set ˈhed-ˌset How to pronounce headset (audio)
plural headsets
1
: a support framework with attached electronic devices that is worn on the head: such as
a
: an earphone or a pair of earphones held on the head by a band
Earbuds, tiny round speakers which fit snugly into the ear, are near-invisible as they don't use a headband, but they don't fit every ear. The traditional banded headsets either completely enclose the ear or just sit gently over the opening.Joe Brown
Using discreet headsets with single earpiece headphones, the free audio-described tour will be delivered by a professional audio describer.Lincoln Tan
especially : such a headset that also includes an attached microphone
All you need for this is a hands-free headset for your telephone. Once you're properly equipped, you can make personal phone calls while simultaneously using your computer for personal entertainment. Paul McFedries
b
: virtual reality hardware (such as goggles and headphones) that is held on the head by one or more bands or straps
… stitches together multiple images to create a panoramic, 360-degree environment, and provides a virtual-reality headset to put you in the middle of a real video. You merely glance left or right, up or down, to see a different portion of the 3-D world you're in.Jake Kirchner
2
: the support framework of a headset
Google Glass—the wearable computer mounted in the headset of a pair of glasses—was launched by the data giant in February 2013.David McNamee

Examples of headset in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The 53mm drivers sound really good, too, and the headset has improved microphone quality and comfort compared to the previous model. Quentyn Kennemer, The Verge, 6 Mar. 2024 Meta Quest's artificial reality headsets were also signed out, according to tech site 9to5Mac. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Then customers rushed to return Apple’s $3,500 Vision Pro headset before the trial period expired, many of them claiming in the process that the tech or the price tag weren’t quite satisfactory. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024 Apple’s Vision Pro: The new headset teaches a valuable lesson about the cost of tech products: The upsells and add-ons will get you. Brian X. Chen, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2024 Some users have already flagged issues with the headsets, too, complaining about a lack of comfort and subpar features. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 27 Feb. 2024 Now, Sony is exploring the idea of letting players utilize the headset for gameplay on PCs as well. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 24 Feb. 2024 Subjects were asked to use the headset for an hour every day for six months. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 Last year, Tim Cook argued that the expenditure was warranted, since Apple is venturing into entirely new fields like machine learning, AI, and virtual reality-ware like the Vision Pro headsets, not to mention ongoing investments in chip technology. Samanth Subramanian, Quartz, 2 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'headset.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of headset was in 1900

Dictionary Entries Near headset

Cite this Entry

“Headset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/headset. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

headset

noun
head·​set -ˌset How to pronounce headset (audio)
: a pair of headphones

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