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Glite Dictionary
subwoofer

subwoofer

5 6.2
A speaker that makes very low sounds to add deep bass
  • noun
  • /ˈsʌbˌwuːfər/
translation icon : subwoofer
  • Nothing particularly exciting back here except there is a giant Pioneer subwoofer in back and it is wired in place.
  • powered subwoofer
  • bass subwoofer
  • subwoofer system

We have a series of buttons down here, one of which is marked subwoofer.

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Examples

  • Instead, you have a subwoofer in the shape of the spare tire where the spare tire would go.

  • The TVee26, on the other hand, with its accompanying subwoofer and 40Hz-20KHz response, specializes in digging down to bring the theater-like boom.

    Blog text (21)

  • We also have in the middle of this the subwoofer, which is not small.

  • I heard a car go by with a subwoofer that you could feel in your chest.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • So we put a subwoofer there and are currently out having the ridiculous thing on the desk next to the monitor.

    Blog text (31)

  • It could balance out the subwoofer on the other side of the entertainment center.

    Blog text (24)

  • I have clips, pro media, stereo speakers with a subwoofer down below.

  • Now I've plugged them both in and I can see that the subwoofer does seem to have power because if I hit this little sync button here, this pair button, it lights up.

  • I have a Samsung 2.1-Channel Home Theater Soundbar System that is Bluetooth enabled and has a wireless subwoofer, so I will check and see if I can connect to this device.

    Blog text (19)

  • The home theater system includes a powerful subwoofer that enhances the movie's bass sounds.

Synonyms

woofer
vssubwoofer
  • Specialized
5 5.4

A speaker that makes deep bass sounds

focuses on even lower bass frequencies to enhance deep sounds

Antonyms

tweeter
  • Specialized
3 7.0

A small speaker that makes the high notes in a sound system

Compounds

active subwoofer
  • Specialized
5.6

A speaker with a built-in amplifier that makes low bass sounds

passive subwoofer
  • Specialized
6.7

A speaker for low bass that needs a separate amplifier to work

How Deep

subwoofer
5 6.2
woofer
  • Specialized
5 5.4
tweeter
  • Specialized
3 7.0

Surface Forms

subwoofer singular
subwoofers plural

Morphology

subwoofer = woofer (transparent) = sub + woofer

The form and meaning follow directly: 'sub-' (below/under) added to 'woofer' (a low-frequency speaker) yields a speaker for even lower frequencies.

Etymology

Subwoofer combines the prefix sub- meaning 'under' and woofer, a name that echoes the dog sound 'woof' to suggest a deep, low noise. So a subwoofer is a speaker that handles the very deep bass 'under' the regular speakers.