Etimology
From Middle English audience, from Middle French audience, from Old French audience, from Latin audientia, from present participle audiens (“hearing”), from verb audio (“I hear”). Doublet of audiencia.
noun
audience (plural audiences)
A group of people within hearing; specifically, a large gathering of people listening to or watching a performance, speech, etc. [from 15th c.]
(now rare) Hearing; the condition or state of hearing or listening. [from 14th c.]
A widespread or nationwide viewing or listening public, as of a TV or radio network or program.
A formal meeting with a state or religious dignitary. [from 16th c.]
The readership of a book or other written publication. [from 19th c.]
A following. [from 20th c.]
(historical) An audiencia (judicial court of the Spanish empire), or the territory administered by it.
Examples
We joined the audience just as the lights went down.
One saint's day in mid-term a certain newly appointed suffragan-bishop came to the school chapel, and there preached on “The Inner Life.” He at once secured attention by his informal method, and when presently the coughing of Jarvis […] interrupted the sermon, he altogether captivated his audience with a remark about cough lozenges being cheap and easily procurable.
WHen he had ended all his ſayingꝭ in the audience of the people / he entred ĩto Capernaum.
She managed to get an audience with the Pope.
Captain Anderson: Sounds like you convinced the Council to give us an audience.Ambassador Udina: They were not happy about it. Saren's their top agent. They don't like him being accused of treason.
"Private Eye" has a small but faithful audience.
The opera singer expanded his audience by singing songs from the shows.
Related words
synonyms
hearership, listenership
(large gathering of people watching a performance): spectators, crowd
related terms
audition