See also: audiencë

English edit

 
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Etymology edit

From Middle English audience, from Middle French audience, from Old French audience, from Latin audientia, from present participle audiens (hearing), from verb audio (I hear). Doublet of audiencia.

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

audience (plural audiences)

  1. A group of people within hearing; specifically, a large gathering of people listening to or watching a performance, speech, etc. [from 15th c.]
    We joined the audience just as the lights went down.
    • 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter V, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 26:
      One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.”  He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis [] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.
  2. (now rare) Hearing; the condition or state of hearing or listening. [from 14th c.]
  3. A widespread or nationwide viewing or listening public, as of a TV or radio network or program.
  4. A formal meeting with a state or religious dignitary. [from 16th c.]
    She managed to get an audience with the Pope.
    • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
      Captain Anderson: Sounds like you convinced the Council to give us an audience.
      Ambassador Udina: They were not happy about it. Saren's their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason.
  5. The readership of a book or other written publication. [from 19th c.]
    "Private Eye" has a small but faithful audience.
  6. A following. [from 20th c.]
    The opera singer expanded his audience by singing songs from the shows.
  7. (historical) An audiencia (judicial court of the Spanish empire), or the territory administered by it.

Usage notes edit

  • In some lects, audience is used as a plurale tantum.
    The audience are getting restless.

Synonyms edit

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Translations edit

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Further reading edit

French edit

Etymology edit

Inherited from Old French audience, borrowed from Latin audientia, from present participle audiēns (hearing), from verb audiō (to hear).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

audience f (plural audiences)

  1. audience, viewer
    Synonyms: attention, entretien, séance

Derived terms edit

Related terms edit

Further reading edit

Italian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from English audience, from Latin audientia, derived from audiēns, present active participle of audiō (to hear, listen to).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

audience f (uncountable)

  1. audience (widespread or nationwide viewing or listening public)

Related terms edit

References edit

  1. ^ audience in Luciano Canepari, Dizionario di Pronuncia Italiana (DiPI)