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🔊 Deep sound 📻 Radio wave band
low frequency

low frequency

2 4.9
A radio frequency between 30 and 300 kilohertz used for communication
  • noun
  • /loʊ ˈfrikwənsi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : baja frecuencia
  • And such fields should be detectable with the next generation of low-frequency radio telescopes.
  • low frequency channel
  • low frequency speech code
  • low frequency radio

Yes, actually there's a system known as ELF, Extra low frequency.

Examples

  • The gain at low frequencies is reduced while the sweep is in the low-frequency channel.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Plus we do retain most of all low frequency sounds.

  • So it's passing low frequencies, low pass filter.

  • For example, let's play a low frequency on the speaker here and I'll put this paper in front of the speaker.

  • The reduced gain, however, only appears in the lower half of the low-frequency channel.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Therefore, it is possible that sentence recognition was affected as well by better spectral resolution in the low-frequency range for the better PTA group.

    Academic text (2012)

  • Extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) are produced by power lines, electrical wiring, and electrical equipment.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The Servo K-Beam accelerometer is a force feedback sensor designed for measuring low-level acceleration in low-frequency environments.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The emergency broadcast system transmits important alerts over a low frequency to ensure they reach all radios.

  • In audio engineering, low frequency sounds often add depth and richness to music.

Synonyms

LF
vslow frequency
  • Specialized
6 7.2

A radio band from 30 to 300 kilohertz used for long-distance signals

has identical meaning but appears as the full phrase rather than the short form

Antonyms

high frequency
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A range of radio waves used to communicate over long distances

How High

high frequency
  • Specialized
1 4.6
medium frequency
  • Specialized
4.8
low frequency
  • Specialized
2 4.9

Surface Forms

low frequency singular
low frequencies plural

Morphology

low + frequency

The meaning is directly compositional: 'low' (reduced amount/level) modifies 'frequency' (rate or number of occurrences), so together they denote a frequency at the lower end of a scale. This straightforward modifier+noun pattern is cross-linguistically common and easily inferred by a B1 learner who knows both constituents, though precise technical distinctions (e.g. acoustic pitch vs. event rate) may require context.

Etymology

The noun low frequency comes from the idea of waves that repeat slowly: low means few repeats and frequency is how often a wave happens. Because these slow, long waves travel far through water and the ground, they are used for long-distance radio and submarine communication.