acoustic

[uh-koo-stik]

adjective

1. pertaining to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sound.

2. (of a building material) designed for controlling sound.

3. Music.

   1. of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electrically enhanced or modified.

   2. arranged for or made up of such instruments.

      an acoustic solo; an acoustic group.

noun

1. Obsolete.,  a remedy for deafness or imperfect hearing.

acoustic

/ əˈkuːstɪk /

adjective

1. of or related to sound, the sense of hearing, or acoustics

2. designed to respond to, absorb, or control sound

   an acoustic tile

3. (of a musical instrument or recording) without electronic amplification

   an acoustic bass

   an acoustic guitar

Other Word Forms

• acoustically adverb
• nonacoustic adjective
• nonacoustical adjective
• nonacoustically adverb
• unacoustic adjective
• unacoustical adjective
• unacoustically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of acoustic¹

From the Greek word akoustikós, dating back to 1595–1605. See acouasm, -tic

Word History and Origins

Origin of acoustic¹

C17: from Greek akoustikos, from akouein to hear

Example Sentences

The study, published in Royal Society Open Science, examined thousands of hours of passive acoustic recordings and uncovered 25 distinct underwater vocalizations.

Read more on Science Daily

However, while in Russian waters, scientists will refrain from conducting acoustic surveys of the ocean environment.

Read more on Barron's

Such detection requires layers of different sensors, including radio receptors, video cameras and acoustic sensors.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Perhaps for comic relief, another living megasaur of ’70s counterculture, Sam Shepard, shows up briefly to jam, atrociously, with Smith on acoustic guitar.

Read more on Salon

However, interest in evolving dark energy was vigorously rekindled last year from the combination of supernovae, baryon acoustic oscillation, and cosmic microwave background data from the DES, DESI, and Planck experiments.

Read more on Science Daily