Record and record are two words that are spelled identically but are pronounced differently and have different meanings, which makes them heteronyms. We will examine the definitions of the words record and record, where these words came from, and a few examples of their use in sentences.
A record (REK kord) is a permanent account of something or an official document, a database of information or verified statistics. A record may be the statistic of the top performance of an event or skill. A record may also be a grooved, vinyl disc that is a medium for playing back audio, most often music, on a phonograph that uses a needle to read the record. The word record is derived from the Old French word, record, which means report or memory.
To record (ree KORD) means to note something on paper or electronically to keep track of what has happened or to provide a permanent depository of information; to register a measurement such as length or temperature; to make a physical imprint or digital imprint that is a faithful reproduction of sights and sounds. The word record is derived from the Old French verb, recorder, which means to repeat or report. Record is a transitive verb, which is a verb that takes an object; related words are records, recorded, recording.
Examples
At 13.38 inches each, Lou the coonhound broke the record for the longest ears on a living dog and the feat secured her a spot in the Guinness World Record 2022 book, according to Guinness. (USA Today)
The audience Wednesday was smaller than usual, but the King Pumpkin was bigger than ever — setting an Ohio record at 2,195 pounds. (Herald Star)
In the meantime, members of the Opposition said the council meeting in question was not legal, since the municipal secretary, who ought to record the minutes, was not present. (The Hindu)
But the real Seattle hero behind “A Love Supreme: Live in Seattle” was Brazil, who not only had the presence of mind to record the show but may well have been the impetus for Coltrane playing the piece at all. (Seattle Times)
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