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Today, "audition" most often refers to a theatrical tryout, but that wasn't always the case. "Audition" is rooted in the Latin verb audire, meaning "to hear," and was first used in the late 16th century to refer to the power or sense of hearing. "Audire" is also the root of such "hearing" words in English as "audible," "audience" (which first meant "the act or state of hearing"), and the prefix audio-, which appears in various words relating to sound. It wasn't until late 19th century that the noun "audition" began being used for an entertainer's trial performance. And the verb audition, meaning "to test or try out in an audition," didn't appear on the English language stage until the mid-20th century.
Examples of audition in a Sentence
Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 14 Nov. 2024
More news: Yankees Make Final Pleas to Juan Soto After Game 5 Loss
In what amounted to a one-season audition in his free agent walk year, Soto led the American League in runs scored batting ahead of Judge, the probable AL MVP.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Pam Windsor, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Everett’s former roommate Mary Catherine Garrison had given up acting and was living in Virginia, doing school runs, when Everett texted her asking to audition for the role of Tricia.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 24 Oct. 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near audition
Cite this Entry
“Audition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/audition. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.
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audition
1 of 2 noun
audition
2 of 2 verbMedical Definition
audition
noun
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