frequency

[ free-kwuhn-see ]

/ ˈfri kwən si /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR frequency ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural fre·quen·cies.

Also fre·quence. 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.

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without interest or significance; dull; insipid.

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Words nearby frequency

frenum, frenzied, frenzy, freon, freq., frequency, frequency band, frequency curve, frequency distribution, frequency function, frequency modulation

Compare relative frequency.

Origin of frequency

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

SYNONYMS FOR frequency

1 regularity, repetition, recurrence.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR frequency ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for frequency

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
Despairing about the length and frequency of the many fashion weeks has become a tired refrain.
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Dr. Greenberg also indicates that the frequency of splurges can change depending on where you are in relation to your goal.
When Is It OK to Cheat? The Pros and Cons of Cheat Days|DailyBurn|July 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Even at the age bracket where men and women appear closest in frequency, there is nothing remotely close to masturbation parity.
C’mon, Ladies, Masturbation Isn’t Just for Bad Girls|Emily Shire|June 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The frequency with which the Glow-worm was being laid up for repairs was beginning to get on our nerves.
The Campfire Girls Go Motoring|Hildegard G. Frey
Then he observed sweats that were terrifying in their frequency—sweats at night that left the print of her body on the sheets.
Woman Triumphant|Vicente Blasco Ibaez
The frequency with which literature is represented is probably more genuine.
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2 (of 6)|Havelock Ellis
Any form of effort demanding the attention will, as a general rule, lessen their frequency or abolish them altogether.
Tics and Their Treatment|Henry Meigne
It is not the frequency of the intervention, but its purpose and consequences that make it socialistic.
Contemporary Socialism|John Rae

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.