pink noise

American  

[pingk noiz] / ˈpɪŋk ˈnɔɪz /

noun

Physics.

1. a noise signal related to white noise but lacking uniformity, having less power at higher frequencies and more power at lower frequencies; a gentle, steady background sound, like lapping waves or windblown leaves, that filters out distracting or sleep-disturbing noises: higher in pitch than brown noise.

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pink noise British  

noun

1. noise containing a mixture of frequencies, but excluding higher frequencies

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Etymology

Origin of pink noise

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The results showed that listening to music with ABS significantly reduced both cognitive and somatic symptoms of anxiety compared with the pink noise control.

From Science Daily • Mar. 16, 2026

Participants also reported that their sleep felt lighter, they woke up more often, and their overall sleep quality declined when exposed to aircraft noise or pink noise.

From Science Daily • Feb. 4, 2026

Many of us like to fall asleep to the sounds of a white noise machine, but according to TikTok, brown and pink noise may be the sleep aides of the future.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 1, 2024

For example, pink noise has reduced higher frequencies, which can resemble noises like rainfall or a waterfall.

From Salon • Jul. 23, 2023

Specifically, when analyzing how much power each frequency component within a musical piece tends to have, scientists find the same distribution as in pink noise.

From Scientific American • Aug. 19, 2020