megaphone

Everyday

1. A cone-shaped device you speak into to make your voice louder, so a crowd can hear you; modern ones use batteries and are electric. tree →
2. (figurative) Something that helps a person spread their message widely. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, megaphones are used at sports days, protests, beaches, fire drills and on boats. In science, a simple cone megaphone directs sound waves forward, so the voice carries further. Safety: never shout into someone's ear with a megaphone, because very loud sound can damage hearing. Phrases: «speak through a megaphone», «megaphone diplomacy» (shouting messages publicly rather than talking).

Examples

• The teacher used a megaphone at sports day. tree →
• The lifeguard shouted through a megaphone to the swimmers. tree →
• We made a megaphone from rolled-up card. tree →
• The protesters had a megaphone and a big banner. tree →
• The megaphone makes your voice louder in one direction. tree →
• During the fire drill, the head teacher used a megaphone. tree →
• Don't point a megaphone at anyone's ear. tree →
• Social media can be a megaphone for anyone's opinion. tree →

Note

Countable: one megaphone, two megaphones. «Mega-» means big; «-phone» means sound (as in telephone, microphone). Also called a «loudhailer» (UK) or «bullhorn» (US). Not a maths word.