Main Entry:

³sound

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English soun, from Anglo-French son, sun, from Latin sonus, from sonare to sound; akin to Old English swinn melody, Sanskrit svanati it sounds

Date:

13th century

1 a: a particular auditory impression : tone b: the sensation perceived by the sense of hearing c: mechanical radiant energy that is transmitted by longitudinal pressure waves in a material medium (as air) and is the objective cause of hearing2 a: a speech sound <a peculiar r-sound> b: value in terms of speech sounds <-cher of teacher and -ture of creature have the same sound>3archaic : rumor, fame4 a: meaningless noise bobsolete : meaning c: the impression conveyed : import5: hearing distance : earshot <within sound of your voice>6: recorded auditory material7: a particular musical style characteristic of an individual, a group, or an area <the Nashville sound>