psychoacoustics

noun

psy·​cho·​acous·​tics ˌsī-kō-ə-ˈkü-stiks How to pronounce psychoacoustics (audio)
plural in form but singular in construction
: a branch of science dealing with the perception of sound, the sensations produced by sounds, and the problems of communication
psychoacoustic adjective

Examples of psychoacoustics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Her research focuses on auditory memory and psychoacoustics, the study of humans’ psychological responses to sound — especially the ones that make our skin crawl. Christian Thorsberg, Discover Magazine, 14 Aug. 2021 Van Zweden also, in his own way, emphasized the power of psychoacoustics. Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychoacoustics.' 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

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychoacoustics was in 1948

Dictionary Entries Near psychoacoustics

Cite this Entry

“Psychoacoustics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychoacoustics. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

psychoacoustics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction
psy·​cho·​acous·​tics ˌsī-kō-ə-ˈkü-stiks How to pronounce psychoacoustics (audio)
: a branch of science dealing with the perception of sound, the sensations produced by sounds, and the problems of communication
psychoacoustic adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on psychoacoustics

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