acoustic

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
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 adverb

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 This solo acoustic turn was not Grohl’s only appearance during the two-hour show. Chris Willman, Variety, 21 Mar. 2024 The acoustic album was conceived as a seven-movement piece meant to be listened to in its entirety. Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2024 Encuentro Cafe has a gated patio with lots of plants along the walls and above the tables, and there is a calming energy to this place, with a small water fountain at the entrance, and acoustic Latin music playing throughout the cafe. Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2024 Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version), which is exclusive to Disney+, includes performances of several, additional acoustic songs that had previously been omitted from the original theatrical release and VOD version. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Andrew encouraged me to play this little harmonic, acoustic part almost like a Cure melody. Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 19 Mar. 2024 Levert and Ryan slow danced onstage as Smyers played acoustic guitar and Mooney crooned the heartfelt ballad. USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2024 According to fan footage, Musgraves, 35, hit the stage in a white blouse and sheer black skirt, while Bryan sported denim and played acoustic guitar — and the crowd sang every word. Jack Irvin, Peoplemag, 6 Mar. 2024 The hardwood of the hall itself seems to swirl around its stage, a system of blue beams girding a circular canopy of bright lights and acoustic spires. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024

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

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 h2kous-) + -ikos -ic entry 1; acoustical from acoustic + -al entry 1 — more at hear

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of acoustic was in 1635

Dictionary Entries Near acoustic

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
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 adverb

Medical Definition

acoustic

adjective
acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
: 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 adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on acoustic

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