soundscape

American  

[sound-skeyp] / ˈsaʊndˌskeɪp /

noun

1. the component sounds of an environment.

2. the component sounds of a piece of music.

---

Etymology

Origin of soundscape

First recorded in 1965–70; sound ¹ ( def. ) + -scape ( def. )

Example Sentences

This installation stages basins filled with floating ceramic bowls, which drift and collide in an improvised soundscape that takes its title from the term for the random movement of atoms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

"Ilaiyaraaja's arrival was a watershed moment. It was an intervention by a person from an entirely different social and aesthetic background who had imbued a distinct aural soundscape," says TM Krishna, a celebrated Carnatic musician.

From BBC • Jun. 6, 2026

More recently, artists including Laufey and Elliot James Reay have also leaned into the era’s sensibility and soundscape, while perennial favorites Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox often reimagine modern hits in a vintage style.

From Salon • May 15, 2026

"In a noisy soundscape, the brain needs to actively separate the signal from the background," said Huang.

From Science Daily • Mar. 20, 2026

For example, a child’s environment in a city will be vastly different than one in the country, or the soundscape of 1,000 years ago differs dramatically from a soundscape today.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin