Simple Explanation

Sound, especially when it’s recorded, played back, or transmitted as a signal.

Concise Technical Definition

Audio refers to sound represented as an electrical or digital signal that can be stored, processed, transmitted, or reproduced.

Layman-Friendly Analogy

Audio is like the “language” of sound used by microphones, speakers, and headphones to send and receive what we hear.

Industry Usage Summary

In media and technology, "audio" covers everything from music playback and sound design to voice communication, mixing, mastering, and broadcast. It refers to both the content (sound) and the signal chain that carries it.

Engineering Shortcut

Audio = signal representing sound (analog or digital).

Full Technical Explanation

Audio refers to acoustic vibrations that are captured, processed, or transmitted as analog or digital signals. In analog systems, sound waves are converted into continuous voltage variations; in digital systems, they are sampled and quantized into binary data. Audio encompasses both the signal (electric or digital) and the sound it represents, including speech, music, ambient sound, and effects. Audio technology spans recording, reproduction, synthesis, streaming, and signal processing across various industries including music production, film, gaming, telecommunications, and live sound.