Etymology Map
Back to all words

Audio

2 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means sound, especially when recorded or broadcast

Where does the word "audio" come from? It comes from Latin audire, adopted directly into English (1930s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
audire
Latin · ancient
"to hear"
'audio' means 'I hear'; the same root gives 'audience' and 'audition'
2
Stage 2 of 2
audio
English · 1930s
"sound"
coined by radio engineers for sound frequencies
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Audio’s story begins in Latin: audire meant “to hear.” 'audio' means 'I hear'; the same root gives 'audience' and 'audition'. It reached English by 1930s as audio. Coined by radio engineers for sound frequencies. Today, audio means sound, especially when recorded or broadcast.