frequency

[ free-kwuhn-see ]

noun

, plural fre·quen·cies.

1. Also frequence. the state or fact of being frequent; frequent occurrence:

   We are alarmed by the frequency of fires in the neighborhood.

   Synonyms: regularity, recurrence, repetition

2. rate of occurrence:

   The doctor has increased the frequency of his visits.

3. Physics.
   1. the number of periods or regularly occurring events of any given kind in unit of time, usually in one second.
   2. the number of cycles or completed alternations per unit time of a wave or oscillation. : F; : freq.
4. Mathematics. the number of times a value recurs in a unit change of the independent variable of a given function.
5. Statistics. the number of items occurring in a given category.

frequency

/ ˈfriːkwənsɪ /

noun

1. the state of being frequent; frequent occurrence
2. the number of times that an event occurs within a given period; rate of recurrence
3. 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 hertz νf
4. statistics
   1. the number of individuals in a class ( absolute frequency )
   2. the ratio of this number to the total number of individuals under survey ( relative frequency )
5. ecology
   1. the number of individuals of a species within a given area
   2. the percentage of quadrats that contains individuals of a species

frequency

/ frē′kwən-sē /

1. Physics.
   The rate at which a repeating event occurs, such as the full cycle of a wave. Frequencies are usually measured in hertz.
2. Physics.
   Compare amplitudeSee also period
3. Mathematics.
   The ratio of the number of occurrences of some event to the number of opportunities for its occurrence.

frequency

1. 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.

Other Words From

• non·fre·quence noun
• non·fre·quen·cy noun
• o·ver·fre·quen·cy noun
• un·der·fre·quen·cy noun plural underfrequencies

Word History and Origins

Origin of frequency¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of frequency¹

C16: from Latin frequentia a large gathering, from frequēns numerous, crowded

Example Sentences

Ilze Kehris, assistant secretary general for human rights at the UN, said the pattern and frequency of Israel's attacks suggest systematic targeting of civilians.

From BBC

“You can end up going to someone’s house at the bottom of a mountain in the north and the radio frequency can’t get through. But there could be a good 3G signal nearby and that could get through - the customer doesn’t know that,” he said.

From BBC

"Today, we can build the thing that really makes these revenue streams possible, which is the ability for anyone in the world to build a community of people that are of your essence, of your frequency, that want to help you or know people that can help you," said Meltzer.

From Salon

The frequency of rural bus services in England has reached a historic low, according to a report by the County Councils Network.

From BBC

In that time, the number and frequency of strikes in the area dramatically increased.

From BBC

Related Words

• density
• number
• prevalence
• recurrence
• regularity
• repetition