acoustic

American  

[uh-koo-stik] / əˈku stɪk /

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.

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noun

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

acoustic British  

/ 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

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Other Word Forms

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

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.

Example Sentences

Detection is the foundation: radar, radio-frequency sensing, acoustic systems and electro-optical cameras that establish airspace awareness before a threat materializes.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026

Through electromagnetic or acoustic waves, they can interact with their surroundings at multiple locations at the same time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 13, 2026

Byrne’s set started 25 minutes late and he arrived on stage wearing an orange jumpsuit and holding acoustic guitar.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

New technologies like distributed acoustic sensing and Seabed Sentry are being developed to monitor and protect vulnerable submarine cables.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

Based on their knowledge of acoustic science, the doctors theorized that the raps could be made to reverberate on nearby tables, doors, or other solid objects.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock