Standard Lemma guide

lipread

verb · 2 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈlɪpɹiːd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • past: /ˈlɪpɹɛd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To determine a person's speech by watching the movement of their lips.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

interpret by lipreading; of deaf people

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lip-read, speech-read

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: read

History

Etymology

From lip + read.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Czech: odezírat (ze rtů) — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Danish: mundaflæse — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Finnish: lukea huulilta — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • French: lire sur les lèvres — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • German: von den Lippen lesen — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Hungarian: szájról olvas — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Icelandic: varalestur — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Norwegian Bokmål: lese på lepper — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Norwegian Bokmål: lese på munn — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Portuguese: ler os lábios — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.
  • Spanish: leer los labios — determine what a person is saying by watching or observing the movement of their lips.