acoustics

[ uh-koo-stiks ]

noun

1. (used with a singular verb) Physics. the branch of physics that deals with sound and sound waves.
2. (used with a plural verb) the qualities or characteristics of a room, auditorium, stadium, etc., that determine the audibility or fidelity of sounds in it.

acoustics

/ əˈkuːstɪks /

noun

1. functioning as singular the scientific study of sound and sound waves
2. functioning as plural the characteristics of a room, auditorium, etc, that determine the fidelity with which sound can be heard within it

acoustics

/ ə-ko̅o̅′stĭks /

1. The scientific study of sound and its transmission.
2. The total effect of sound, especially as produced in an enclosed space.

Other Words From

• hyper·a·coustics noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of acoustics¹

First recorded in 1675–85; acoustic, -ics

Example Sentences

The acoustics shine in what had come to be known as Copley Symphony Hall, now named Jacobs Music Center.

From Los Angeles Times

Buried in a bland mixed-use skyscraper in the dreary Financial District downtown, an aging, if glamorous, 1929 movie palace with rotten acoustics long served as the San Diego Symphony’s disagreeable home.

From Los Angeles Times

The science, as well as the art, of acoustics has advanced.

From Los Angeles Times

It was a test of not only the orchestra but also the acoustics.

From Los Angeles Times

Audience members had long complained about lousy acoustics under the balcony overhang and bad views from many seats, especially at the top.

From Los Angeles Times