disc jockey

1 of 2

noun

variants or less commonly disk jockey
plural disc jockeys also disk jockeys
1
: a person who introduces and plays recorded music (especially popular music) on a show (such as a radio program)
Pervis Spann … was the voice for Black Chicago during his transformative tenure as a disc jockey and owner at WVON.The Chicago Tribune
Each Sunday, a zany Los Angeles disk jockey who calls himself Dr. Demento inflicts four live hours of … tunes on the listeners of L.A.'s KMET radio station.Betsy Carter and Peter S. Greenberg

called also deejay, DJ

2
: an entertainer who plays and often manipulates recorded music (as by combining tracks or adding effects) for dancing at a night club or party
The duo also hired a disc jockey … who has spun at the club nearly every Friday night since 1991.Brittanie Shey
also : someone who makes music (as through turntablism, sampling, etc.) that is often sung or rapped over
Having observed the rise of legendary disc jockeys like Grandmaster Flash and Kool DJ Red Alert firsthand, he [DJ Kay Slay] was inspired to try out the discipline himself. Nina Corcoran and Jazz Monroe
Come nightfall, [NFL linebacker Von] Miller works on his disc jockey skills, something he first started doing last season. … He said he had to cancel big plans spinning and scratching during sporting events this offseason. Arnie Stapleton

called also deejay, DJ

disc jockey

2 of 2

verb

variants or less commonly disc-jockey or disk jockey or disk-jockey
disc jockeyed also disc-jockeyed or disk jockeyed or disk-jockeyed; disc jockeying also disc-jockeying or disk jockeying or disk-jockeying; disc jockeys also disc-jockeys or disk jockeys or disk-jockeys

transitive + intransitive

: to perform the role of a disc jockey : to act as a disc jockey for
Max Media's Chad Evans disc jockeyed the event. He said he had a variety of music ranging several decades queued for the evening.Sarah Desantis
[DJ Tom] Joyner transformed radio when he began disc jockeying in the Dallas and Chicago markets.Lynn Jones
During spring breaks and vacations in college, she worked at 1360-AM … where she anchored and edited radio shows, wrote commercials, disc-jockeyed and covered Bills training camp …Rachel Lenzi

Examples of disc jockey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
If there was a wedding, odds are that DJ Lisa G was there to disc jockey. Eric Adler, Kansas City Star, 22 Feb. 2024 Mays, 23, was one of two men charged this week with second-degree felony murder in the shooting that injured 24 people and killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a mother of two who was a popular disc jockey and radio host. Katie Moore, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2024 The Dutch disc jockey, mixer and electronic music producer will do a DJ set as the players in the game warm up on the field. San Diego Union Tribune, Orange County Register, 29 Jan. 2024 Martin starred Lawrence as Martin Payne, a wisecracking radio disc jockey working in the city of Detroit. Jessica Wang, EW.com, 15 Jan. 2024 Jerry Wade, an Indianapolis disc jockey whose voice soothed millions of radio listeners over his 40-year career, has died. Rory Appleton, The Indianapolis Star, 9 Jan. 2024 One of those people — Lisa Lopez-Galvan, a Johnson County mom and local disc jockey and radio host — was killed. Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2024 Fallston girls basketball Johnny Woods leans on a professional disc jockey for their pregame mix. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 29 Jan. 2024 Her grandfather was a disc jockey who moved the family to Toledo, Ohio, when Joseph was 6 years old, according to the latter's IMBD bio. Emily Blackwood, Peoplemag, 4 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'disc jockey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1940, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1941, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of disc jockey was in 1940

Dictionary Entries Near disc jockey

Cite this Entry

“Disc jockey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disc%20jockey. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

disc jockey

noun
variants or disk jockey
: one who conducts and announces a radio show of popular recorded music
also : one who plays recorded music for dancing (as at a party)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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