acoustic

1 of 2

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
ə-ˈkü-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
Synonyms of acoustic
1
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds
acoustic apparatus of the ear
acoustic energy
: such as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
acoustic tile
b
: operated by or utilizing sound waves
2
: of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically modified
acoustically
ə-ˈkü-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb

acoustic

2 of 2

variant of acoustics

Synonyms of acoustic

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Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of acoustic in a Sentence

Adjective the acoustic properties of a room She loves listening to acoustic folk music. an acoustic performance of a rock-and-roll song
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
ShotSpotter uses acoustic technology to pick up the sound of gunfire. — Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2026 Its custom racetrack woofer drives deeper bass with minimal distortion, while the angled 20-degree acoustic tilt directs audio right to your ears. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026 Some Grouper tracks are cosmic, with synths appearing like auroras along the firmament; others use wispy, haunted vocals and acoustic guitar like gentle brushstrokes on a boundless canvas. — Rhoda Feng, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026 According to the MoD, the paragliders have a range of 200 miles (322 km) and have very low acoustic, visual, and radar signatures. — New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acoustic

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

acoustic borrowed from Medieval Latin acousticus, acūsticus, borrowed from Greek akoustikós, from akoustós "heard, audible" (verbal adjective of akoúein "to hear," going back to Indo-European *h2kou̯s-) + -ikos -ic entry 1; acoustical from acoustic + -al entry 1 — more at hear

First Known Use

Adjective

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acoustic was in 1635

Phrases Containing acoustic

Rhymes for acoustic

See All Rhymes for acoustic

Browse Nearby Words

acousmatic
acoustic
acoustical feedback
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acoustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acoustic. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
1
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds: as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
b
: operated by or using sound waves
2
: of, relating to, or being a musical instrument whose sound is not electronically modified
acoustic guitar
acoustically
-sti-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb

Medical Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
: of or relating to the sense or organs of hearing, to sound, or to the science of sounds
acoustic apparatus of the ear
acoustic energy
: as
a
: deadening or absorbing sound
acoustic tile
b
: operated by or utilizing sound waves
acoustically
-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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