Speaker
/ˈspiː.kər/noun
A person who speaks, or a device that converts electrical signals into sound.
Did you know?The modern audio sense of “speaker” emerged in the early 20th century, when electrical technology transformed a human agent noun into a machine that “speaks.”
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sprek- / *sprog-
“A reconstructed root associated with speaking or uttering sounds; its exact form and development are debated.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*sprekaną
“To speak or utter words.”
Old English
Old English
specan / sprecan
“To speak, talk, or make oneself understood through words.”
Middle English
Middle English
speken
“To speak or converse.”
14th Century
English
speaker
“One who speaks or delivers an address, formed with the agent suffix “-er.””
20th Century
English
speaker
“A device that produces audible sound from an electrical or recorded signal.”
Explore more surprising origins