noun · 4 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.
/ˈpleɪˌbæk/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:P L EY1 B AE2 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The replaying of something previously recorded, especially sound or moving images.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Lip-syncing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: nonstandard, uncountable, usually
Qualifier: non-native speakers' English
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
the act of reproducing recorded sound
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he was allowed to hear the playback of his testimony
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: sound reproduction
4
noun
Meaning 4
electronic equipment comprising the part of a tape recorder that reproduces the recorded material
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: electronic equipment
History
Etymology
From play + back.
Across languages
Translations
26 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
تَشْغِيل
(tašḡīl)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Catalan:
reproducció
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Chinese Mandarin:
回放
(huífàng)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Chinese Mandarin:
重播
(chóngbō)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Chinese Mandarin:
重放
(chóngfàng)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Czech:
přehrávání
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Estonian:
taasesitus
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Finnish:
toisto
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
French:
lecture
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Galician:
reprodución
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Georgian:
დაკვრა
(daḳvra)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
German:
Wiedergabe
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Hungarian:
visszajátszás
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Italian:
reproduzione
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Italian:
playback
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Japanese:
再生
(saisei)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Japanese:
プレーバック
(purēbakku)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Korean:
재생
(jaesaeng)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Macedonian:
плејбек
(plejbek)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Polish:
playback
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Portuguese:
reprodução
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Russian:
воспроизведе́ние
(vosproizvedénije)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Russian:
прои́грывание
(proígryvanije)
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Spanish:
reproducción
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Swedish:
uppspelning
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
Turkish:
geri oynatım
— replaying of recorded sound or moving images
