acoustic
/əˈkuːstɪk
/adjective
1Relating to sound or the sense of hearing: dogs have a much greater acoustic range than humans...
- Their underwater acoustic sense and echo-location skills are legendary.
- The place has been designed with a great acoustic sense.
- Quickly sensing the acoustic mismatch, the woman closes the bathroom door, muting the water sounds.
1.1(Of building materials) used for soundproofing or modifying sound: acoustic tiles...
- Hard, smooth surfaces are more sound-reflective than rough surfaces, or ones that are covered with fabric or acoustic materials.
- Then open-web joists would be installed between the arch segments, and when these were completed acoustic metal decking was attached to the entire assembly.
- Then you can start deciding things like where to place furniture and acoustic material, finding a good room that's not a hallway next to a jackhammer and so on.
1.2(Of a device or system) utilizing sound energy in its operation.Just as camera lenses focus light, acoustic lenses reshape sound, spreading it horizontally to increase the sensation of space....
- In contrast to the centrality of the plan, the ceiling evokes the axiality of traditional church spaces and generates a remarkable degree of drama through acoustic devices.
- At Oxford University, researchers have developed an acoustic camera that builds up visual pictures using sound.
1.3(Of an explosive mine or other weapon) able to be set off by sound waves.Once this had been introduced, the Germans began to use acoustic mines which were detonated by the sound of a ship's propeller acting on a diaphragm within them....
- This is the noise-maker for sweeping acoustic mines.
- Agate generates the acoustic signature of any ship in order to trigger acoustic mines.
2(Of popular music or musical instruments) not having electrical amplification: a sad, gentle acoustic ballad old-fashioned acoustic instruments...
- I listen to as much acoustic music as electronic these days; I like to keep an open mind.
- It's a beautiful album, and solo acoustic music doesn't get much better than this.
- It's a total transition - he's gone from acoustic jazz into electric jazz-rock.
noun
1 (also acoustics) The properties or qualities of a room or building that determine how sound is transmitted in it: the Symphony Hall has perfect acoustics...
- Wavy perforated metal panels aid the room's acoustics yet appear to float off of the brick walls.
- However, the acoustics in that room where dreadful (very high ceiling), but Eric and Andre (2nd guitar and bass) did a good job and put on a good show.
- His voice, as heard over the television, is not ideally modulated, but it was probably adapted to the acoustics in the room as he heard his own voice.
2 (acoustics) [treated as singular] The branch of physics concerned with the properties of sound: Tyndall lectured on acoustics...
- Current advances in science and technology, particularly in the area of acoustics and high technologies, enable a more complete utilization of the audio band.
- He studied mathematical physics and acoustics producing a major study in 1862 which looked at musical theory and the perception of sound.
- Thus, the field of acoustics covers a vast array of different areas of use, and they are constantly expanding.
3 short for acoustic guitar. these German-made acoustics are exceptional value and a pleasure to play...
- I was about to knock on the door when I heard a snare hit, followed by a bass guitar, and an acoustic.
- Both use guitars in, mostly, their original form to expose the dichotomy between the electronic and the acoustic.
- Then he swaps to bass guitar or acoustic, Derek comes in on violin, Basil starts to sing.
Derivatives
acoustical
- The acoustical canopy hanging over the stage of San Francisco's Davies Symphony hall is made of 59 6-foot squares of Plexiglas.
- A loud rock band was defined as ‘any group with more than three people without acoustical equipment other than drums.’
- First, the acoustical problem was solved by giving the performers body mikes, with the audience listening on little portable headsets.
acoustically
/ adverb ...- The two hit it off, began collaborating on songs, and were signed after performing acoustically for various record labels.
- The former Squeeze musician will also play acoustically as he headlines the New Variety Club, Russell Street, on February 20.
- Having played these electric songs acoustically now, I think that for the first time ever the band is being given a degree of recognition that its never had before.
Origin
Mid 17th century: from Greek akoustikos, from akouein 'hear'.