listener
/ˈlɪsənər/
noun
Origin
Old English
hlysnan — to hear, to listen
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person who listens, especially someone who pays close attention to sound or speech.
- A person who is present at a broadcast or transmission and receives the signal.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
listenere
Earliest period
14th century
Journey
The word stems from the Old English 'hlysnan', related to the word 'hlyst' (hearing or attention). It shares an ancient root with the Latin 'cluere' (to be called or heard), illustrating the deep connection between auditory attention and the act of listening in Germanic and Indo-European languages.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*klaus-
“to hear”
- Old English
hlysnan
“to listen”
- Middle English
listenere
“one who hears”
Addition of the agentive suffix -ere
Connections
Word parts
listen
root
to attend to sound
-er
suffix
agentive marker indicating a person who performs an action
Related across languages
Old Saxon
hlustian
to listen
Old High German
hlosen
to listen
Related words
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Related to listener
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.