A device that makes a buzzing sound to signal or alert someone about something.
Buzzer comes from the verb 'buzz,' which is imitative in origin—it mimics the sound bees make. The suffix '-er' turns it into a noun meaning 'something that buzzes,' first appearing in the late 1800s with electrical devices.
Game show buzzers might seem simple, but they actually changed trivia entertainment forever—who could respond fastest became as important as knowing the answer, creating a whole new kind of competition that's still used in Jeopardy! today!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.