frequency

[ free-kwuhn-see ]

/ ˈfri kwən si /

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See synonyms for: frequency / frequencies on Thesaurus.com

Definition of frequency

noun, plural fre·quen·cies.

Also frequence. the state or fact of being frequent; frequent occurrence: We are alarmed by the frequency of fires in the neighborhood.

rate of occurrence: The doctor has increased the frequency of his visits.

Physics.

the number of periods or regularly occurring events of any given kind in unit of time, usually in one second.
the number of cycles or completed alternations per unit time of a wave or oscillation. Symbol: F; Abbreviation: freq.

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

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

OTHER WORDS FOR frequency

1 regularity, repetition, recurrence.

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Compare relative frequency.

Origin of frequency

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

OTHER WORDS FROM frequency

non·fre·quence, nounnon·fre·quen·cy, nouno·ver·fre·quen·cy, nounun·der·fre·quen·cy, noun, plural un·der·fre·quen·cies.

Words nearby frequency

frenum, frenzied, frenzy, Freon, freq., frequency, frequency band, frequency curve, frequency distribution, frequency-division multiplex, frequency modulation

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use frequency in a sentence

This comes as fight frequency leaguewide has tapered off over the years and nosedived over the past decade.
Fighting Didn’t Stop In The NHL Bubble|Josh Planos|August 26, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The researchers thought higher storm frequency might shape where lizards evolved to have better grips.
Analyze This: Hurricanes may help lizards evolve better grips|Carolyn Wilke|August 26, 2020|Science News For Students
The researchers pinpointed the frequency of radiation needed to make the atoms take the leap, which is equivalent to finding the size of the gap between the energy levels.
A measurement of positronium’s energy levels confounds scientists|Emily Conover|August 24, 2020|Science News
The pattern of waves, called a chirp, would increase in frequency over time.
Could ripples in spacetime point to wormholes?|Emily Conover|August 24, 2020|Science News For Students

Generating and transmitting them is difficult and expensive, requiring special lasers, and even then the frequency range is limited.
6G Will Be 100 Times Faster Than 5G—and Now There’s a Chip for It|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|August 21, 2020|Singularity Hub
That frequency is within the range used by amateur radio operators, so anyone can listen in.
Luxembourg and China Team Up on Private Mission to the Moon|Matthew R. Francis|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One of the biggest concerns in Europe is the frequency of air traffic with West Africa.
Europe’s Hidden Ebola Cases|Barbie Latza Nadeau|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The agent in the security room repeats this message to those at the debate site, listening on the “Mike” radio frequency.
Behind the Scenes With a ‘Site Agent’: The Secret Service’s Hardest Job|Marc Ambinder|October 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Despairing about the length and frequency of the many fashion weeks has become a tired refrain.
The Drama of Being a Model: Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill Land in Fashion Week|Allison McNearney|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The bigger the black hole, the lower the frequency, much as it is with musical instruments.
The Goldilocks of Black Holes|Matthew R. Francis|August 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In short, there is but one fault I find with the country, and it is a great one, I mean the frequency of earthquakes.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick
The secrecy of these meetings make them more enjoyable, and their length and frequency are unconsciously increased.
The value of a praying mother|Isabel C. Byrum
The frequency with which it is seen near cliffs suggests that it finds concealment under rocks.
A Synopsis of the American Bats of the Genus Pipistrellus|Walter W. Dalquest
Certainty of meaning precedes frequency of use; and this necessary confidence 238 is gained from a study of the dictionary.
English: Composition and Literature|W. F. (William Franklin) Webster
Earthquakes increased in frequency until Rick and Scotty felt as though the ground never ceased shuddering.
The Flaming Mountain|Harold Leland Goodwin

British Dictionary definitions for frequency

frequency

/ (ˈfriːkwənsɪ) /

noun plural -cies

the state of being frequent; frequent occurrence

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

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 hertzSymbol: ν, f

statistics

the number of individuals in a class (absolute frequency)
the ratio of this number to the total number of individuals under survey (relative frequency)

ecology

the number of individuals of a species within a given area
the percentage of quadrats that contains individuals of a species

Also called (for senses 1, 2): frequence

Word Origin for frequency

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for frequency

frequency

[ frē′kwən-sē ]

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

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

Cultural definitions for frequency

frequency

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.

frequency

Definition of frequency

OTHER WORDS FOR frequency

Origin of frequency

OTHER WORDS FROM frequency

Words nearby frequency

Words related to frequency

How to use frequency in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for frequency

Word Origin for frequency

Scientific definitions for frequency

Cultural definitions for frequency