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Glite Dictionary
acoustic wave

acoustic wave

1 4.5
A wave that carries sound through air, water, or a solid by vibrations
  • noun
  • /əˈkuːstɪk weɪv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : onda acústica
  • The doctor used an ultrasound machine, which sends out acoustic waves to create images of organs inside the body.
  • surface acoustic waves

Examples

  • The best way to display and model acoustic waves is by visualizing them via software.

    Academic text (2002)

  • The acoustic televiewer creates an image of the topography or roughness of the borehole wall using reflected acoustic waves.

    Academic text (1997)

  • The system measures the time of flight in which the velocity of acoustic waves is related to the temperature and phase of the material.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Another fundamental type of acoustic wave is closely confined to the surface of the crystal.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The most convenient source of high-frequency acoustic waves is pulses of heat.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Current helioseismological results come from analyses of p and f modes and propagating acoustic waves.

    Academic text (1995)

  • The bulk acoustic-wave resonator is based on two piezoelectric layers sandwiched between two electrodes.

    Blog text (4)

  • Acoustic waves travel through the air, allowing us to hear music from a distance.

  • During the experiment, researchers measured how fast acoustic waves moved through different materials.

Synonyms

sound
vsacoustic wave
∞ 1.0

A noise you can hear

is about physical waves that transmit hearing sensations
sound wave
vsacoustic wave
  • Specialized
20 3.5

A pattern of vibrations that moves through air, water, or solids and carries sound

is the more technical term for the same physical phenomenon

Surface Forms

acoustic wave singular
acoustic waves plural

Morphology

acoustic + wave

The meaning 'a wave that transmits sound' is directly and compositionally derived from 'acoustic' (relating to sound) modifying 'wave' (a disturbance propagating through a medium), so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the combined meaning. This straightforward modifier+noun construction is cross-linguistically common and follows standard English composition patterns, making it immediately comprehensible to learners.

Etymology

The term acoustic wave gives a simple picture: imagine a wave in water but made of tiny particles in air, water, or solids pushed and pulled by sound. That's why an acoustic wave means a moving vibration that carries 'sound' through those materials.