gramophone

gramophone, early record player

noun gra-mo-FON Rare

Origin: Greek gramme (writing) + phone (sound)

Usage Note

Gramophone refers to the early mechanical record player that preceded modern turntables. In contemporary French, tourne-disque or platine is more common for a record player, while gramophone evokes a historical or nostalgic context. The word is the same in English and entered French directly from the trade name.

Examples

"Le gramophone jouait une vieille valse."

Natural Translation

The gramophone was playing an old waltz.

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