CultureSeptember 7, 2026

overdub

OH-ver-dub

Definition

To add new sounds or musical parts to a recording after the original has already been made.

Etymology

The word is a 20th-century compound formed by combining the prefix 'over-' meaning 'in addition' and 'dub,' which refers to the process of copying or transferring recorded audio.

In the news

The article explains that the estate used live musicians to overdub existing synthesizer tracks, clarifying that human performers, not AI, provided the finishing touches.

Prince’s Estate Responds to Rumors That AI Was Used on the Late Icon’s New Album

Read the full article ↗

VICE

Related words

bhaji

A South Asian dish consisting of vegetables, such as bitter melon or okra, that have been…

Culture

bilge

The lowest inner part of a ship's hull where water or waste liquids collect.

Culture

celibacy

The state of voluntarily refraining from marriage and sexual relations, typically as a…

Culture

chivalry

A medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code, or the…

Culture

expressionist

Relating to a style of art that prioritizes the emotional experience and subjective…

Culture

formator

A person, typically a priest or religious figure, who is responsible for the training,…

Culture

Learn words like this every day

Meet new words every morning.

Newspoken pulls carefully chosen words from the day’s news — with clear definitions, context, and light review that makes them stick. Get it on your phone.