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signal-to-noise ratio

British  

noun

  1. the ratio of one parameter, such as power of a wanted signal to the same parameter of the noise at a specified point in an electronic circuit, etc

"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

Example Sentences

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“The signal-to-noise ratio in financial data is extremely low,” meaning it is tough to sift the important information from the mass of random and irrelevant data.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

“The filtering capacities of the lateral line system of the tail could improve the signal-to-noise ratio, avoiding overstimulation of the canal neuromasts.”

From Salon ● Feb. 10, 2025

Increased HPC performance could produce more accurate results about dynamic phenomena with a better signal-to-noise ratio.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024

The signal-to-noise ratio plummets even more, by a factor of nearly 300.

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 22, 2023

Often used derogatorily, for example: "the signal-to-noise ratio in this newsgroup is pretty low."

From Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet by Electronic Frontier Foundation

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