ultrasonic

adjective

ul·​tra·​son·​ic ˌəl-trə-ˈsä-nik How to pronounce ultrasonic (audio)
1
: having a frequency above the human ear's audibility limit of about 20,000 hertz
used of waves and vibrations
2
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to ultrasonic waves or vibrations
ultrasonically adverb

Did you know?

Ultrasound, or ultrasonography, works on the principle that sound is reflected at different speeds by tissues or substances of different densities. Ultrasound technology has been used medically since the 1940s. Sonograms, the pictures produced by ultrasound, can reveal heart defects, tumors, and gallstones; since low-power ultrasonic waves don't present any risks to a body, they're most often used to display fetuses during pregnancy in order to make sure they're healthy. Ultrasonics has many other uses, including underwater sonar sensing. High-power ultrasonics are so intense that they're actually used for drilling and welding.

Examples of ultrasonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Butterfly Network developed a handheld ultrasound machine using capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) technology. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024 Remaining sensors consist of 8-megapixel high-definition cameras, surround-view cameras, millimeter wavelength radars, and ultrasonic sensors. Mark Andrews, WIRED, 13 Mar. 2024 The beacon then sounds out a corresponding ultrasonic pulse. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Nov. 2023 Weekly cleaning follows the same procedure as for most other ultrasonic humidifiers. Jon Bitner, wsj.com, 21 Sep. 2023 The Stone Diffuser is ultrasonic, meaning the tool uses water and vibrations to diffuse the oil instead of heat. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 29 Nov. 2023 The first uses ultrasonic waves to unclog your pores, while the second uses the same vibrations to push your serums and products deeper into the skin for better results. Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 12 Jan. 2024 These marine mammals are specialized in high-frequency sounds, or ‘ultrasonic’ sounds. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 27 Dec. 2023 However, with modern smartphones capable of sending and receiving ultrasonic signals on their speakers and microphones, the approach developed in Cricket might become useful in the future. IEEE Spectrum, 12 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ultrasonic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1923, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of ultrasonic was in 1923

Dictionary Entries Near ultrasonic

Cite this Entry

“Ultrasonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ultrasonic. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

ultrasonic

adjective
ul·​tra·​son·​ic ˌəl-trə-ˈsän-ik How to pronounce ultrasonic (audio)
: relating to or being vibrations that are of the same kind as sound waves but have too high a frequency to be heard by the human ear
ultrasonically adverb

Medical Definition

ultrasonic

adjective
ul·​tra·​son·​ic -ˈsän-ik How to pronounce ultrasonic (audio)
1
a
: having a frequency above the human ear's audibility limit of about 20,000 hertz
used of waves and vibrations
b
: utilizing, produced by, or relating to ultrasonic waves or vibrations
removal of tartar with an ultrasonic scaler
2
ultrasonically adverb
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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