acoustic
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sound.
-
(of a building material) designed for controlling sound.
-
Music.
-
of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electrically enhanced or modified.
-
arranged for or made up of such instruments.
an acoustic solo; an acoustic group.
-
noun
adjective
-
of or related to sound, the sense of hearing, or acoustics
-
designed to respond to, absorb, or control sound
an acoustic tile
-
(of a musical instrument or recording) without electronic amplification
an acoustic bass
an acoustic guitar
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of acoustic
From the Greek word akoustikós, dating back to 1595–1605. See acouasm, -tic
Explanation
Acoustic means having to do with sound. In concert halls, acoustic panels direct the way sound moves. An audio engineer is trained in acoustic design for music recording. If you prefer the softer sound of acoustic rock, it means you like rock played on acoustic instruments. These include the guitar, violin, 'cello, viola, or harp––anything really that does not rely on electrical amplification to be heard. If a room has good acoustics, it means sound travels clearly and consistently through the space, and it's good for concerts.
Vocabulary lists containing acoustic
Music - Introductory
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Music - Middle School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Coming to Our Senses," Vocabulary from the science essay
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2002, Hodgden and original guitarist Achim “Dange” St. Dangerfield started the band as an acoustic duo doing cover songs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026
It is also performing baseline wildlife surveys, including acoustic monitoring of the belugas to better understand where they swim.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
"It was an acoustic set, but we didn't have a sound guy, and the guitar started feeding back."
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Suggested causes include acoustic pollution from human activity, naturally occurring environmental sounds and conspiracy theories involving the CIA or even aliens.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 19, 2026
At first he used electronic techniques to make incremental transformations to a pattern, later having live players and acoustic instruments imitate this effect under his very specific and detailed configuration.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
