acoustic en · ADJ · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /əˈkuː.stɪk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /əˈkʉː.stɪk/ (Australia)
- /əˈkʉː.stək/ (New-Zealand)
- /əˈku.stɪk/ (Canada, General-American)
- (California) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- Proto-Indo-European *h₂ew- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *h₂ṓws Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti Proto-Hellenic *akóuhō Ancient Greek ἀκούω (akoúō) Proto-Indo-European *-kos Proto-Hellenic *-kos Ancient Greek -κός (-kós) Ancient Greek -ῐκός (-ĭkós) Ancient Greek ᾰ̓κουστῐκός (ăkoustĭkós)bor. Medieval Latin acousticusbor. English acoustic Borrowed from Medieval Latin acousticus, acūsticus, from Ancient Greek ἀκουστῐκός (akoustĭkós, “of or for hearing”), from ἀκούω (akoúō, “to hear”) + -ῐκός (-ĭkós, adjectival suffix).
Meanings
- (not-comparable, of building materials) Pertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of hearing, or the science of sounds. ▸ Used for soundproofing or modifying sound.
- (not-comparable) Pertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of hearing, or the science of sounds. ▸ Of a device or system, using sound energy in its operation.
- (not-comparable) Pertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of hearing, or the science of sounds. ▸ Of an explosive mine or other weapon, able to be set off by sound waves.
-
(not-comparable) Naturally producing or produced by an instrument without electrical amplification or the need thereof.
Coordinate term: unplugged
acoustic guitar, acoustic piano
-
(humorous, not-comparable, proscribed, qualifier:transferred sense) Nonelectric; mechanical or otherwise basic.
acoustic bike
For a lot of people, riding a bike through a crowded city—or even on suburban avenues—might feel daunting. Should you get an electric or acoustic bicycle?
2022 May 19, “How to Get Started Biking”, in Wired:E-bikes have now become so popular that old-fashioned, human-powered ones are tagged as “analog” or “acoustic” bikes.
2025 November 30, David Darlington, “The Shocking Crash That Led Marin County to Reckon With the Dangers of E-Bikes”, in The New York Times Magazine, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 30 Nov 2025:KEY: I've had a banana in banana cake. WATSON: But you haven't had a sort of acoustic banana?
2020 June 4, 14:45 from the start, in No More Jockeys, season 1, episode 7, spoken by Tim Key and Mark Watson:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| acoustical | alternative | lexicographic | |
| acoustick | alternative | lexicographic |
Deriveds
thermoacoustic · vibracoustic · acoustical · acoustic coupler · nonacoustic · acoustics · acoustic shadow · aeroacoustic · magnetoacoustic · acoustic impedance · subacoustic · bioacoustic · microacoustic · acoustic jamming · acousto- · acoustic perfume · polyacoustic · acoustic phonetics · otoacoustic · vibroacoustic · superacoustic · acoustic guitar · geoacoustic · echoacoustic · physioacoustic · psychoacoustic · acoustic bass · acoustic energy · ecoacoustic · acoustically · acoustic shock · acoustic bass guitar · mechanoacoustic · diplacusis · acousticky · acoustic nerve · hydroacoustic · acoustic mirror · diacoustic · acoustic guitarist · acoustic bassist · photoacoustic · acoustic barrier · acoustic meatus · acoustic ceiling · anacoustic · otacoustic · acousticness · acoustic rock · acoustic-electric · unacoustic · vestibuloacoustic · acoustic model · electroacoustic · acoustic admittance · acoustic interferometer · optoacoustic · acousticofacial · acousticophobia · baryon acoustic oscillation · acoustic neuroma · archaeoacoustic · acoustic traveltime · catacoustic · acousticopalpebral · semiacoustic · acoustic emission · semi-acoustic · acoustician
Synonyms
analog · auditory · auditory · auditory
Translations (66)
pt acústico (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · cs akustický (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · gl acústico (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · acw صوتي (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · nb akustisk (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · pl akustyczny (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · it acustico (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · cmn 不插電 /不插电 (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · nl akoestisch (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · fi akustinen (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · nl akoestische (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · sh аку̀стичкӣ (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ka აკუსტიკური (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · fi akustinen (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · el ακουστικός (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ga fuaime (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · gl acústico (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ka აკუსტიკური (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · cs zvukový (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · fr acoustique (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · fr acoustique (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · cmn 原聲 /原声 (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ms akustik (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ca acústic (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ga fuaimiúil (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · da akustisk (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · eo akustika (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ar صَوْتِيّ (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ca acústic (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · sh akùstičkī (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · pt acústico (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · bg акустичен (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · gd fuaimearra (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · es acústico (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · sh слушни (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ja アコースティック (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ga acústach (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ia acustic (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · sv akustisk (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · da akustisk (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · nl akoestisch (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · sh akùstičan (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · no akustisk (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · sh аку̀стичан (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ja 音響の (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · no akustisk (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ja 音の (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · sv akustisk (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ru акусти́ческий (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · ru акусти́ческий (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · pl akustyczny (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · gd fuaimearra (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · nl akoestische (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · de akustisch (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · bg слухов (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · it acustico (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · es acústico (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · el ακουστικός (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · eo akustika (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · cs akustický (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · de akustisch (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · lv akustisks (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · ms اکوستيک (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · sh slušni (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds) · nb akustisk (producing or produced without electrical amplification) · bg акустичен (pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds)