wavelength

American  

[weyv-lengkth, -length, -lenth] / ˈweɪvˌlɛŋkθ, -ˌlɛŋθ, -ˌlɛnθ /

Or wave length

noun

wavelengths plural

1. Physics. the distance, measured in the direction of propagation of a wave, between two successive points in the wave that are characterized by the same phase of oscillation.

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idioms

1. on the same wavelength, in sympathy or rapport.

   We seemed to be on the same wavelength from the moment we met.

wavelength British  

/ ˈweɪvˌlɛŋθ /

noun

1.  λ.  the distance, measured in the direction of propagation, between two points of the same phase in consecutive cycles of a wave

2. the wavelength of the carrier wave used by a particular broadcasting station

3. informal having similar views, feelings, or thoughts (as someone else)

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wavelength Scientific  

/ wāv′lĕngkth′ /

1. The distance between one peak or crest of a wave and the next peak or crest. It is equal to the speed of the wave divided by its frequency, and to the speed of a wave times its period.

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wavelength Cultural  

1. The distance between crests (or troughs) of a wave.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wavelengths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wavelength

First recorded in 1855–60; wave + length

Explanation

A wavelength is the distance between two peaks in a wave. And, if you are on the same wavelength with someone else, you are in sync and share the same perspective. You can say, "My best friend and I are on the same wavelength," meaning you truly understand each other and tend to see the world in the same way. This meaning has been around since the 1920s, but originally wavelength had only its scientific definition, "the distance between two peaks of a wave." Wavelengths can be measured on anything that travels in waves, like sound, light, or water. The Old English root word is wagian, "to move back and forth."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

wavelength wavelengths

We liked working together, and he saw that we had a similar wavelength, and he just kind of tossed it up, like, ‘Hey, how would you feel about scoring a feature?’

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

But if you can get on its wavelength, there’s a mollifying charm to Travolta’s debut.

From Salon ● Jun. 2, 2026

Tuned in to a wavelength seemingly all of their own, they won the lot across five years together and in a manner that gained admirers from across the world.

From BBC ● May 23, 2026

They captured images using a filter at 11.3 μm, which sits just outside a wavelength associated with ammonia molecules NH3.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 22, 2026

The shorter the wavelength, the higher the frequency, and the higher the pitch, of the sound.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

"It's a reminder that even in our own cosmic neighbourhood, we can still find surprises if we look in the right way, at the right wavelengths."

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

Earth's atmosphere naturally glows in these wavelengths, making it much harder for ground based telescopes to detect such faint objects.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 9, 2026

The colors seen in the image represent specific wavelengths of light rather than what the human eye would naturally observe.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026

Because their wavelengths are much longer than the depth of the ocean, researchers generally expect these waves to maintain a relatively consistent shape as they travel long distances.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 25, 2026

Figure 3.9: A string that's held very tightly at both ends can only vibrate at very particular wavelengths.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Related Words

• acumen
• intuition
• judgment
• observation
• understanding
• vision
• wisdom