acoustic

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik 

variants or acoustical

ə-ˈkü-sti-kəl 

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 

adverb

Synonyms of acoustic

• auditory

Examples of acoustic in a Sentence

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

The singular folk/acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke has been visiting Connecticut since the early ’70s. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 11 Apr. 2026

Fans familiar with 1985’s beat-tastic, falsetto-fluttery, Technicolor masterpiece Cupid & Psyche 85 may blanch at Songs to Remember’s wispy skeletal attempts at dub and acoustic pop (especially since the album has, until now, been out of print and unavailable on streaming). —Alfred Soto, Pitchfork, 11 Apr. 2026

These intimate acoustic sets feature the writers performing their own hits. —Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 9 Apr. 2026

Just seven days’ exposure to shipping noise weakens the immune systems of blue mussels; but a process called acoustic enrichment, broadcasting the sound of a healthy reef, can attract marine life back to a bleached one, restitching the acoustic fabric of an entire ecosystem. —Literary Hub, 9 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing acoustic

• acoustic emission

Rhymes for acoustic

• electroacoustic

Kids Definition

acoustic

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik 

variants or acoustical

-sti-kəl 

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 

adverb

Medical Definition

acoustic

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik 

variants or acoustical

-sti-kəl 

: 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 

adverb