acoustic

adjective

acous·​tic ə-ˈkü-stik How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
variants or acoustical
ə-ˈkü-sti-kəl How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
Synonyms of acousticnext
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 How to pronounce acoustic (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The artists showcased the two songs on acoustic guitar and vocals. — Emily Zemler, Rolling Stone, 30 June 2025 My parents met one summer in 1975 at one of my dad’s acoustic shows on the eastern tip of Long Island. — Brooke Lea Foster, People.com, 30 June 2025 Downstairs, Khan is putting together a cozy lounge with perfect acoustic speakers and a ceiling of dancing optics. — Laurie Werner, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025 The schedule for the day-long Hartford Bonanza includes DJ Connie Carmona from 4 to 6 p.m., acoustic folk/hip-hop singer/songwriter Bodhi at 6 p.m., DJ Eric Otero at 7 p.m. amd the soul/hip-hop/jazz fusion of Dwayne Keith & Friends at 8:45 p.m. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for acoustic

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of acoustic was in 1635

Phrases Containing acoustic

Rhymes for acoustic

See All Rhymes for acoustic

Browse Nearby Words

acousmatic
acoustic
acoustical feedback
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acoustic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acoustic. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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Kids Definition

acoustic

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

Medical Definition

acoustic

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

More from Merriam-Webster on acoustic

Nglish: Translation of acoustic for Spanish Speakers

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