Playback
nounThe reproduction of previously recorded sound or video.
How to spell playback
8 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce playback
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does playback mean?
- nounThe reproduction of previously recorded sound or video.
Playback in a sentence
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The engineer cued up the playback so the band could hear the take.
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During playback the director noticed a continuity error in the footage.
Where does playback come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
Playback is a modern English compound, formed simply by joining the everyday verb 'play' with the adverb 'back'. The verb 'play' descends from the Old English 'plegian', meaning to exercise, to frolic, or to perform, while 'back' comes from the Old English 'baec', meaning the rear part or a return motion. The combined word arose in the early twentieth century alongside recording technology, capturing the idea of 'playing back' sounds or images that had just been captured. It became common in studios, broadcasting, and film, where engineers would replay a recording immediately after making it. Because both halves are plain native words spelled exactly as they sound, the term carries none of the irregular spelling baggage of borrowed vocabulary.
How the word is built
- play (to perform or reproduce)
- back (in return, again); a compound noun
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