stereophonic
/ˌstɛri.oʊˈfɑnɪk/adjective
Reproducing sound with an impression of spatial depth
From Greek stereo- (Solid) + Greek phonic (Sound).
Lineage
stereo-
phonic
The story
Picture a Greek speaker describing something solid and firm: stereos (στερεός). Centuries later, English borrowed stereo- for words about solidity and three-dimensional form, including stereoscope, an instrument for viewing pictures with depth. The other half reaches back to Greek phōnē (φωνή), “sound” or “voice,” and is related to the word-building element in phonetic. In 1927, stereo- and -phonic came together by analogy with stereoscopic, promising not just sound but sound that seemed to occupy space. The word’s little trick is to make your ears do what a stereoscope does for your eyes: perceive depth from a carefully arranged pair of signals.
Words from the same roots
stereo- · Ancient Greek, ‘Solid, firm; later, three-dimensional’
Derivedstereoscope, stereotype, stereopticon
phonic · Ancient Greek, ‘Sound, voice’
Derivedphonetic, quadraphonic, telephone, symphony
Sources
- Etymonlinestereophonic, stereo-, phonic, tribulation, cipher, christian, decide
- Wiktionarystereophonic, stereo-, phonic, -phonic