frequency

[free-kwuhn-see]

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.

frequency

/ 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

frequency

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.

frequency

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.

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of frequency¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of frequency¹

C16: from Latin frequentia a large gathering, from frequēns numerous, crowded

Example Sentences

Others are overturning long-held ideas about the ideal frequency for physical intimacy.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

There’s something about that and the sound of people — it’s a very freeing frequency for me to write lyrics.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

She raised concerns that reducing the frequency of check-ups would only exacerbate the problem, adding oral cancers could be treated successfully when identified early.

Read more on BBC

Any effort to scale back the frequency of those reports is likely to face opposition from shareholders and other critics, who argue that the shift could threaten transparency and risk market volatility.

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It was nothing the Los Angeles Police Department couldn’t — and does — handle with some frequency.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• density 
• number 
• prevalence 
• recurrence 
• regularity www.thesaurus.com
• repetition