frequency

American  

[free-kwuhn-see] / ˈfri kwən si /

noun

plural

frequencies

1. Also frequence. the state or fact of being frequent; frequent occurrence.

   We are alarmed by the frequency of fires in the neighborhood.

   Synonyms:

   recurrence, repetition, regularity

2. rate of occurrence.

   The doctor has increased the frequency of his visits.

3. Physics.

   1. the number of periods or regularly occurring events of any given kind in unit of time, usually in one second.

   2. the number of cycles or completed alternations per unit time of a wave or oscillation. F; freq.

4. Mathematics. the number of times a value recurs in a unit change of the independent variable of a given function.

5. Statistics. the number of items occurring in a given category.

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frequency British  

/ ˈfriːkwənsɪ /

noun

1. the state of being frequent; frequent occurrence

2. the number of times that an event occurs within a given period; rate of recurrence

3.  ν.   f.  physics the number of times that a periodic function or vibration repeats itself in a specified time, often 1 second. It is usually measured in hertz

4. statistics

   1. the number of individuals in a class ( absolute frequency )

   2. the ratio of this number to the total number of individuals under survey ( relative frequency )

5. ecology

   1. the number of individuals of a species within a given area

   2. the percentage of quadrats that contains individuals of a species

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frequency Scientific  

/ frē′kwən-sē /

1. Physics The rate at which a repeating event occurs, such as the full cycle of a wave. Frequencies are usually measured in hertz.

2. Physics Compare amplitude See also period

3. Mathematics The ratio of the number of occurrences of some event to the number of opportunities for its occurrence.

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frequency Cultural  

1. In physics, the number of crests of a wave that move past a given point in a given unit of time. The most common unit of frequency is the hertz (Hz), corresponding to one crest per second. The frequency of a wave can be calculated by dividing the speed of the wave by the wavelength. Thus, in the electromagnetic spectrum, the wavelengths decrease as the frequencies increase, and vice versa.

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Other Word Forms

• nonfrequence noun
• nonfrequency noun
• overfrequency noun
• underfrequency noun

Etymology

Origin of frequency

First recorded in 1545–55, frequency is from the Latin word frequentia assembly, multitude, crowd. See frequent, -cy

Example Sentences

The number of protests in cities around the nation has grown in size and frequency.

From Los Angeles Times

By adding carefully controlled microwave noise in the form of random signal fluctuations within a narrow frequency range, the researchers can guide how heat and energy move through the system with remarkable precision.

From Science Daily

Across all Low Earth Orbit mega constellations, satellites pass dangerously close to one another with surprising frequency.

From Science Daily

As radio waves pass through magnetized plasma, the angle of their polarization shifts depending on frequency, a process called Faraday rotation.

From Science Daily

In some ways this revision process can convert a writer into a canary in the coal mine, where you’re picking up on certain frequencies early.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• density
• number
• prevalence
• recurrence
• regularity
• repetition