A turntable is a flat, circular platform that spins around, used for playing vinyl records. The turntable rotates at a precise speed while a small needle (called a stylus) rides in the record's grooves, reading the microscopic bumps and converting them into sound through speakers. Before digital music, turntables were how people listened to their favorite albums at home.

The word can also describe any rotating platform. Train repair shops use massive turntables to rotate entire locomotives, spinning them to face different directions or moving them between different tracks. Some restaurants have turntables built into their tables so diners can easily share dishes by rotating the platform, passing food around without anyone having to reach or stand up.

Vinyl records have made a comeback in recent years, so turntables are no longer just relics from your grandparents' era. Many music lovers prefer the warm, rich sound of vinyl and enjoy the ritual of carefully placing a record on the turntable, lowering the stylus, and listening to a whole album from start to finish.