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audiobook

audiobook

18 3.0
A recording of a book being read aloud so people can listen
  • noun
  • /ˈɔːdiˌoʊbʊk/
translation icon : audiolibro
  • I love listening to an audiobook while driving to work.
  • books and audiobooks
  • audiobook collection
  • digital audiobook

What I've had it with is narrators of audiobooks that are terrible.

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Examples

  • Angie loves to listen to audiobooks, mainly self help books, as she sleeps.

  • You can read it, or you can listen to the audiobook.

  • What are some ways to build an audiobook collection for a school library?

    Academic text (2008)
  • Diane is washing windows while listening to an audiobook on her tape player.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • How can current audiobook titles be integrated into school libraries and classrooms?

    Academic text (2008)
  • The following lists include outstanding audiobooks that we have listened to over the years.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Marlise has bought a new audiobook for the trip to the Berkshires.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • When building an audiobook collection, a librarian needs to have an awareness of format preference and availability.

    Academic text (2008)
  • The library comes with a core collection of 740 "units," both e-books and audiobooks.

    Academic text (2007)
  • Audible is a giant repository of amazing audiobooks and other audio content.

Synonyms

recording
vsaudiobook
283 1.5

A saved audio or video file you can play

is limited to book texts read aloud rather than any captured media
audio recording
vsaudiobook
14 2.3

A saved sound like a file or tape of speech and music

is specifically a book read aloud for listening rather than any sound
talking book
vsaudiobook
  • Archaic
1 3.7

A recording of someone reading a book out loud for people who cannot see or prefer listening

is for general listening rather than focused on accessibility needs

How Produced

audio drama
1 4.2
audiobook
18 3.0
recording
150 2.1

Surface Forms

audiobook singular
audiobooks plural

Morphology

audiobook = audio + book (transparent) = audio + book

The meaning follows directly from 'audio' (sound) + 'book' (a written work): a recorded book for listening.

Etymology

The word audiobook combines audio meaning 'to hear', the same root in audible and audience, and book meaning a written work. So an audiobook is simply a 'book you listen to', a recording of someone reading the text aloud.