recording

UK: /rɪˈkɔː^rdɪŋ/ US: /rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ/ ,(ri kôr′ding)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cord•ing /rɪˈkɔrdɪŋ/   n. [countable]

1. Sound Reproduction the act or practice of putting down in writing, taping, or otherwise making a record of something.
2. Sound Reproduction sound recorded on a disk or tape.
3. Sound Reproduction a disk or tape on which something is recorded.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cord•ing  (ri kôr′ding), n. 

1. Sound Reproduction the act or practice of a person or thing that records.
2. Sound Reproduction sound recorded on a disk or tape.
3. Sound Reproduction a disk or tape on which something is recorded.

• 1300–50; Middle English (gerund, gerundive); see record, -ing¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

recording / rɪˈkɔːdɪŋ/ noun

1. the act or process of making a record, esp of sound on a gramophone record, magnetic tape, compact disc, computer, etc
2. (as modifier): recording studio, recording head
3. the record, tape, disc, etc so produced
4. something that has been recorded, esp a radio or television programme

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cord /v. rɪˈkɔrd; n., adj. ˈrɛkɚd/   v. 

1. to set down in writing or the like, such as for the purpose of preserving evidence:
   [~ + object] recorded the dates of battles.
2. to cause to be set down, stated, or indicated:
   [~ + object] His no vote was recorded.
3. to serve to tell of:
   [~ + object] The instruments recorded the earthquake.
4. Sound Reproduction to use a special machine to preserve or keep sounds, images, or other signals by copying them electronically so that they can be played again or reproduced by a phonograph, videocassette recorder, etc.: [~ + object]
   recorded several of his songs; The computer records your keystrokes.
   [no object]
   This video camera can record and play back.

n. [countable] rec•ord 

5. an account in writing or the like that preserves or keeps the memory or knowledge of certain facts or events.
6. a report, list, or collection of known facts about someone's past actions or achievements:
   Her school records are in the registrar's office.
7. a legally documented list or official file of someone's criminal activity.
8. Sport the standing of a team or individual with respect to contests won, lost, and tied:
   The team's record is five wins and three losses.
9. the highest or best rate, amount, etc., ever achieved, esp. in sports:
   He broke the old speed records.
10. Sound Reproduction, Radio and Television, Radio and Television something on which sound or images have been electronically recorded for playing back at a later time, esp. a grooved disk that is played on a phonograph, or an optical disc for recording sound or images;
    a recording.

adj. [before a noun] rec•ord 

11. making a record:
    a record company.
12. superior to all others:
    a record year for sales.

Idioms

13. Idioms for the record, meant for publication:
    remarks made for the record.
14. Idioms off the record, not for publication;
    unofficial.
15. Idioms on record:
    • existing as a matter of public knowledge;
      known:
      Your accomplishments are on record.
    • existing in a publication, document, file, etc.:
      keeping information on record about his enemies.
    • having stated one's opinion or position publicly:
      He is on record as supporting the tax cut.
    • ever recorded:
      It was the hottest summer on record.

re•cord•a•ble, adj. See -cord-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cord  (v. ri kôrd′;n., adj. rek′ərd), v.t. 

1. to set down in writing or the like, as for the purpose of preserving evidence.
2. to cause to be set down or registered:
   to record one's vote.
3. to state or indicate:
   He recorded his protest, but it was disregarded.
4. to serve to relate or to tell of:
   The document records that the battle took place six years earlier.
5. Geology to set down or register in some permanent form, as on a seismograph.
6. Sound Reproduction to set down, register, or fix by characteristic marks, incisions, magnetism, etc., for the purpose of reproduction by a phonograph or magnetic reproducer.
7. Sound Reproduction to make a recording of:
   The orchestra recorded the 6th Symphony.

v.i. 

8. to record something;
   make a record.

n. rec•ord 

9. an act of recording.
10. the state of being recorded, as in writing.
11. an account in writing or the like preserving the memory or knowledge of facts or events.
12. information or knowledge preserved in writing or the like.
13. a report, list, or aggregate of actions or achievements:
    He made a good record in college. The ship has a fine sailing record.
14. a legally documented history of criminal activity:
    They discovered that the suspect had a record.
15. something or someone serving as a remembrance;
    memorial:
    Keep this souvenir as a record of your visit.
16. Sound Reproduction the tracing, marking, or the like, made by a recording instrument.
17. Sound Reproduction, Radio and Television, Radio and Television something on which sound or images have been recorded for subsequent reproduction, as a grooved disk that is played on a phonograph or an optical disk for recording sound (audiodisk) or images (videodisk.) Cf. compact disk. 
18. the highest or best rate, amount, etc., ever attained, esp. in sports:
    to hold the record for home runs; to break the record in the high jump.
19. Sport the standing of a team or individual with respect to contests won, lost, and tied.
20. an official writing intended to be preserved.
21. Computing a group of related fields, or a single field, treated as a unit and comprising part of a file or data set, for purposes of input, processing, output, or storage by a computer.
22. Law
    • Law the commitment to writing, as authentic evidence, of something having legal importance, esp. as evidence of the proceedings or verdict of a court.
    • Law evidence preserved in this manner.
    • Law an authentic or official written report of proceedings of a court of justice.
23. go on record, to issue a public statement of one's opinion or stand:
    He went on record as advocating immediate integration.
24. off the record:
    • not intended for publication;
      unofficial;
      confidential:
      The President's comment was strictly off the record.
    • not registered or reported as a business transaction;
      off the books.
25. on record:
    • existing as a matter of public knowledge;
      known.
    • existing in a publication, document, file, etc.:
      There was no birth certificate on record.

adj. rec•ord 

26. making or affording a record.
27. surpassing or superior to all others:
    a record year for automobile sales.

• Old French, derivative of recorder; compare Medieval Latin recordum
• Latin recordārī to remember, recollect (re- re- + cord- (stem of cors) heart + -ārī infinitive ending); (noun, nominal) Middle English record(e)
• Old French recorder
• 1175–1225; 1875–80 for def. 17; (verb, verbal) Middle English recorden

re•cord′a•ble, adj. 
rec′ord•less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. register, enroll, enter, note.
• 11. chronicle, history, journal; note, memorandum.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

record noun / ˈrɛkɔːd/

1. an account in permanent form, esp in writing, preserving knowledge or information about facts or events
2. a written account of some transaction that serves as legal evidence of the transaction
3. a written official report of the proceedings of a court of justice or legislative body, including the judgments given or enactments made
4. anything serving as evidence or as a memorial: the First World War is a record of human folly
5. (often plural) information or data on a specific subject collected methodically over a long period: weather records
6. the best or most outstanding amount, rate, height, etc, ever attained, as in some field of sport: an Olympic record, a world record, to break the record for the long jump
7. (as modifier): a record time
8. the sum of one's recognized achievements, career, or performance: the officer has an excellent record
9. a list of crimes of which an accused person has previously been convicted, which are known to the police but may only be disclosed to a court in certain circumstances
10. have a record ⇒ to be a known criminal; have a previous conviction or convictions
11. Also called: gramophone record, disc a thin disc of a plastic material upon which sound has been recorded. Each side has a spiral groove, which undulates in accordance with the frequency and amplitude of the sound. Records were formerly made from a shellac-based compound but were later made from vinyl plastics
12. the markings made by a recording instrument such as a seismograph
13. a group of data or piece of information preserved as a unit in machine-readable form
14. (in some computer languages) a data structure designed to allow the handling of groups of related pieces of information as though the group were a single entity
15. for the record ⇒ for the sake of a strict factual account
16. go on record ⇒ to state one's views publicly
18. on record ⇒ stated in a public document
19. publicly known
20. put the record straight, set the record straight ⇒ to correct an error or misunderstanding

verb / rɪˈkɔːd/(mainly tr)

1. to set down in some permanent form so as to preserve the true facts of: to record the minutes of a meeting
2. to contain or serve to relate (facts, information, etc)
3. to indicate, show, or register: his face recorded his disappointment
4. to remain as or afford evidence of: these ruins record the life of the Romans in Britain
5. (also intr) to make a recording of (music, speech, etc) for reproduction, or for later broadcasting
6. (also intr) (of an instrument) to register or indicate (information) on a scale: the barometer recorded a low pressure

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French recorder to call to mind, from Latin recordārī to remember, from re- + cor heart

reˈcordable adjective