white noise

[ wahyt noiz, hwahyt ]

noun

1. Physics. Also called broad·band noise [brawd, -band , noiz]. a noise signal with a uniform frequency spectrum over a wide range of frequencies. Compare brown noise ( def ), pink noise ( def ).
2. Informal. Also called white sound [wahyt, , sound, hwahyt]. any steady, unobtrusive sound or pattern of sounds recorded from nature or produced electronically and used to mask unwanted noise or fill a discomforting silence:

   You can program the machine to play ocean waves, a rainforest, a thunderstorm, or whatever white noise helps you to relax.

white noise

noun

1. 1. sound or electrical noise that has a relatively wide continuous range of frequencies of uniform intensity
   2. noise containing all frequencies rising in level by six decibels every octave

Word History and Origins

Origin of white noise¹

First recorded in 1965–70