noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˈɔːdi.əns/
British, Southern, Standard:/ˈoːdɪjəns/
SSBRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈɔ.di.əns/without the cot–caught merger
[ˈɔ.ɾi.əns]without the cot–caught merger
cot-caught-merger:/ˈɑ.di.əns/
cot-caught-merger:[ˈɑ.ɾi.əns]
US:cot-caughtRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:/ˈɒ.di.əns/
Canada:[ˈɒ.ɾi.əns]
Australian, New-Zealand:/ˈoːdi.əns/
Australian, New-Zealand:[ˈoːɾi.əns]
Scotland:/ˈɔ.de.əns/
CMU ARPABET:AA1 D IY0 AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:AO1 D IY0 AH0 N S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A group of people within hearing; specifically, a large gathering of people listening to or watching a performance, speech, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
We joined the audience just as the lights went down.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Hearing; the condition or state of hearing or listening.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A widespread or nationwide viewing or listening public, as of a TV or radio network or program.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A formal meeting with a state or religious dignitary.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
She managed to get an audience with the Pope.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
The readership of a book or other written publication.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
"Private Eye" has a small but faithful audience.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
A following.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The opera singer expanded his audience by singing songs from the shows.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
An audiencia (judicial court of the Spanish empire), or the territory administered by it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
a conference (usually with someone important)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he had a consultation with the judge
he requested an audience with the king
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: consultation, interview
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: conference, group discussion
9
noun
Meaning 9
a gathering of spectators or listeners at a (usually public) performance
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the audience applauded
someone in the audience began to cough
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: gathering, assemblage
Narrower terms: gallery, grandstand, house
10
noun
Meaning 10
the part of the general public interested in a source of information or entertainment
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
every artist needs an audience
the broadcast reached an audience of millions
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: multitude, masses, mass, hoi polloi, people, the great unwashed
Narrower terms: readership, viewing audience, TV audience, viewers
11
noun
Meaning 11
an opportunity to state your case and be heard
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they condemned him without a hearing
he saw that he had lost his audience
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: hearing
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: opportunity, chance
History
Etymology
From Middle English audience, from Middle French audience, from Old French audience, from Latin audientia, from present participle audiēns (“hearing”), from verb audiō (“to hear”). Doublet of audiencia.
Across languages
Translations
180 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Western Apache:
dabiłdéniidí
— group of people seeing a performance
Arabic:
جُمْهُور
(jumhūr)
— group of people seeing a performance
Arabic:
نَظَّارَة
(naẓẓāra)
— group of people seeing a performance
Arabic:
جُمْهُور
(jumhūr)
— group of people seeing a performance
Armenian:
ունկնդիրներ
(unkndirner)
— group of people seeing a performance
Armenian:
հանդիսատես
(handisates)
— group of people seeing a performance
Basque:
entzuleak
— group of people seeing a performance
Belarusian:
пу́бліка
(públika)
— group of people seeing a performance
Belarusian:
аўдыто́рыя
(awdytóryja)
— group of people seeing a performance
Belarusian:
глядачы́
(hljadačý)
— group of people seeing a performance
Belarusian:
слухачы́
(sluxačý)
— group of people seeing a performance
Bulgarian:
пу́блика
(públika)
— group of people seeing a performance
Bulgarian:
аудито́рия
(auditórija)
— group of people seeing a performance
Burmese:
ပရိသတ်
(pa.ri.sat)
— group of people seeing a performance
Catalan:
públic
— group of people seeing a performance
Chinese Cantonese:
觀眾 /观众
(gun1 zung3)
— group of people seeing a performance
Chinese Cantonese:
聽眾 /听众
(ting3 zung3)
— group of people seeing a performance
Chinese Mandarin:
觀眾 /观众
(guānzhòng)
— group of people seeing a performance
Chinese Mandarin:
聽眾 /听众
(tīngzhòng)
— group of people seeing a performance
Czech:
obecenstvo
— group of people seeing a performance
Danish:
publik
— group of people seeing a performance
Danish:
publikum
— group of people seeing a performance
Dutch:
publiek
— group of people seeing a performance
Esperanto:
publiko
— group of people seeing a performance
Esperanto:
spektantaro
— group of people seeing a performance
Esperanto:
ĉeestantaro
— group of people seeing a performance
Finnish:
yleisö
— group of people seeing a performance
Finnish:
katsojat
— group of people seeing a performance
French:
assistance
— group of people seeing a performance
French:
public
— group of people seeing a performance
French:
auditoire
— group of people seeing a performance
Galician:
público
— group of people seeing a performance
Galician:
audiencia
— group of people seeing a performance
Georgian:
აუდიტორია
(audiṭoria)
— group of people seeing a performance
Georgian:
პუბლიკა
(ṗubliḳa)
— group of people seeing a performance
Georgian:
მაყურებლები
(maq̇ureblebi)
— group of people seeing a performance
Georgian:
მსმენელები
(msmenelebi)
— group of people seeing a performance
Georgian:
დამსწრე საზოგადოება
(damsc̣re sazogadoeba)
— group of people seeing a performance
German:
Publikum
— group of people seeing a performance
German:
Zuschauer
— group of people seeing a performance
German:
Audienzen
— group of people seeing a performance
Greek:
ακροατήριο
(akroatírio)
— group of people seeing a performance
Greek:
κοινό
(koinó)
— group of people seeing a performance
Haitian Creole:
odyans
— group of people seeing a performance
Haitian Creole:
piblik
— group of people seeing a performance
Hungarian:
közönség
— group of people seeing a performance
Indonesian:
penonton
— group of people seeing a performance
Interlingua:
auditorio
— group of people seeing a performance
Interlingua:
publico
— group of people seeing a performance
Italian:
pubblico
— group of people seeing a performance
Italian:
uditorio
— group of people seeing a performance
Japanese:
聴衆
(chōshū)
— group of people seeing a performance
Japanese:
観衆
(kanshū)
— group of people seeing a performance
Japanese:
観客
(kankyaku)
— group of people seeing a performance
Khmer:
ទស្សនិកជន
(tŭəhsaʼnɨkcŭən)
— group of people seeing a performance
Korean:
관중
(gwanjung)
— group of people seeing a performance
Korean:
관객
(gwan'gaek)
— group of people seeing a performance
Central Kurdish:
جمھور
(cimhur)
— group of people seeing a performance
Latin:
audientēs
— group of people seeing a performance
Latin:
audītōrium
— group of people seeing a performance
Lithuanian:
publika
— group of people seeing a performance
Lithuanian:
žiūrovai
— group of people seeing a performance
Lithuanian:
auditorija
— group of people seeing a performance
Lithuanian:
audiencija
— group of people seeing a performance
Macedonian:
публика
(publika)
— group of people seeing a performance
Malay:
penonton
— group of people seeing a performance
Norwegian Bokmål:
publikum
— group of people seeing a performance
Dari:
مُخَاطَب
(muxātab)
— group of people seeing a performance
Iranian Persian:
مُخاطَب
(moxâtab)
— group of people seeing a performance
Polish:
widownia
— group of people seeing a performance
Polish:
publika
— group of people seeing a performance
Polish:
audytorium
— group of people seeing a performance
Portuguese:
público
— group of people seeing a performance
Portuguese:
plateia
— group of people seeing a performance
Portuguese:
audiência
— group of people seeing a performance
Romanian:
asistență
— group of people seeing a performance
Russian:
пу́блика
(públika)
— group of people seeing a performance
Russian:
зри́тели
(zríteli)
— group of people seeing a performance
Russian:
аудито́рия
(auditórija)
— group of people seeing a performance
Russian:
слу́шатели
(slúšateli)
— group of people seeing a performance
Sanskrit:
प्रेक्षक
(prekṣaka)
— group of people seeing a performance
Scottish Gaelic:
èisteachd
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
пу̀блика
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
гледаоци
(viewers)
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
слушаоци
(listeners)
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
pùblika
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
gledaoci
— group of people seeing a performance
Serbo-Croatian:
slušaoci
— group of people seeing a performance
Shan:
ၽူႈၸူမ်း
(phūu tsúum)
— group of people seeing a performance
Slovene:
občinstvo
— group of people seeing a performance
Spanish:
audiencia
— group of people seeing a performance
Spanish:
público
— group of people seeing a performance
Spanish:
graderío
— group of people seeing a performance
Spanish:
grada
— group of people seeing a performance
Swedish:
publik
— group of people seeing a performance
Telugu:
ప్రేక్షకులు
(prēkṣakulu)
— group of people seeing a performance
Thai:
ผู้ชม
(pûu-chom)
— group of people seeing a performance
Thai:
นักอ่าน
— group of people seeing a performance
Turkish:
seyirci
— group of people seeing a performance
Turkish:
izleyici
— group of people seeing a performance
Turkish:
dinleyici
— group of people seeing a performance
Turkish:
okuyucu (readership)
— group of people seeing a performance
Ukrainian:
аудито́рія
(audytórija)
— group of people seeing a performance
Ukrainian:
пу́бліка
(públika)
— group of people seeing a performance
Ukrainian:
авдито́рія
(avdytórija)
— group of people seeing a performance
Ukrainian:
глядачі́
(hljadačí)
— group of people seeing a performance
Ukrainian:
слухачі́
(sluxačí)
— group of people seeing a performance
Vietnamese:
khán giả
— group of people seeing a performance
Vietnamese:
quý vị
— group of people seeing a performance
Welsh:
cynulleidfa
— group of people seeing a performance
Yiddish:
עולם
(oylem)
— group of people seeing a performance
Yiddish:
פּובליקום
(publikum)
— group of people seeing a performance
Yiddish:
צוהערערשאַפֿט
(tsuherershaft)
— group of people seeing a performance
Yiddish:
אױדיטאָריע
(oyditorye)
— group of people seeing a performance
Zhuang:
bouxyawj
— group of people seeing a performance
Belarusian:
чытачы́
(čytačý)
— readership of a written publication
Bulgarian:
чита́тели
(čitáteli)
— readership of a written publication
Danish:
læsere
— readership of a written publication
Dutch:
publiek
— readership of a written publication
Dutch:
lezerspubliek
— readership of a written publication
Dutch:
lezers
— readership of a written publication
Esperanto:
legantaro
— readership of a written publication
Finnish:
lukijat
— readership of a written publication
Finnish:
lukijakunta
— readership of a written publication
French:
lectorat
— readership of a written publication
German:
Publikum
— readership of a written publication
Greek:
κοινό
(koinó)
— readership of a written publication
Italian:
pubblico
— readership of a written publication
Kazakh:
оқырмандар
(oqyrmandar)
— readership of a written publication
Norwegian Bokmål:
lesere
— readership of a written publication
Portuguese:
público
— readership of a written publication
Russian:
чита́тели
(čitáteli)
— readership of a written publication
Russian:
аудито́рия
(auditórija)
— readership of a written publication
Scottish Gaelic:
èisteachd
— readership of a written publication
Spanish:
público
— readership of a written publication
Swedish:
läsare
— readership of a written publication
Ukrainian:
аудито́рія
(audytórija)
— readership of a written publication
Ukrainian:
авдито́рія
(avdytórija)
— readership of a written publication
Ukrainian:
читачі́
(čytačí)
— readership of a written publication
Belarusian:
аўдые́нцыя
(awdyjéncyja)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Bulgarian:
аудие́нция
(audiéncija)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Chinese Mandarin:
聽眾 /听众
(tīngzhòng)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Danish:
audiens
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Dutch:
audiëntie
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Dutch:
onderhoud
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Esperanto:
aŭdienco
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Finnish:
vastaanotto
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Finnish:
audienssi
— formal meeting with a dignitary
French:
audience
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Galician:
audiencia
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Georgian:
აუდიენცია
(audiencia)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
German:
Audienz
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Greek:
ακρόαση
(akróasi)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Hungarian:
kihallgatás
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Hungarian:
audiencia
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Interlingua:
audientia
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Italian:
udienza
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Kazakh:
қабылдау
(qabyldau)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Latin:
admissiō
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Norwegian Bokmål:
audiens
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Norwegian Nynorsk:
audiens
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Polish:
audiencja
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Portuguese:
audiência
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Romanian:
audiență
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Russian:
аудие́нция
(audijéncija)
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Slovene:
avdienca
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Spanish:
audiencia
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Swedish:
audiens
— formal meeting with a dignitary
Ukrainian:
аудіє́нція
(audijéncija)
— formal meeting with a dignitary