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adjective C1 Advanced Common

acoustic

uh-KOO-stihk

Acoustic (adjective) means relating to sound or the sense of hearing. Example: “The room was designed with acoustic panels to reduce echo.”

adjective
1
Relating to sound or the sense of hearing.
"The room was designed with acoustic panels to reduce echo."
2
Describing a musical instrument that produces sound naturally, without electronic amplification.
"He switched from electric guitar to acoustic for the ballad."

How to use acoustic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRelating to sound — most commonly used for instruments that make sound without electricity, or for how sound behaves in a space.

Common pairings
acoustic guitar acoustic panels acoustic set
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Test yourself on “acoustic” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The room was designed with _____ panels to reduce echo.

Etymology

From Ancient Greek akoustikos, "relating to hearing," from akouo, "to hear."

Origin: Ancient Greek

Related words

Rhymes for acoustic

See all rhymes for acoustic →

Frequently asked questions

What does “acoustic” mean?

The word “acoustic” means relating to sound or the sense of hearing. In plain terms, relating to sound — most commonly used for instruments that make sound without electricity, or for how sound behaves in a space.

How do you pronounce “acoustic”?

“Acoustic” is pronounced uh-KOO-stihk (/əˈku.stɪk/ in IPA).

How do you use “acoustic” in a sentence?

Here is “acoustic” used in a sentence: “The room was designed with acoustic panels to reduce echo.”

What part of speech is “acoustic”?

“Acoustic” is an adjective.

Where does the word “acoustic” come from?

The word “acoustic” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek akoustikos, "relating to hearing," from akouo, "to hear.".

Is “acoustic” a common word?

“Acoustic” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.

How many meanings does “acoustic” have?

“Acoustic” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: relating to sound or the sense of hearing.

What is the difference between an acoustic and an electric guitar?

An acoustic guitar produces sound naturally, using its hollow body to amplify the vibrating strings, with no electronic amplification. An electric guitar relies on pickups and an amplifier to be heard properly. That difference is exactly what the adjective acoustic marks in music: sound made without electronics.

What is the difference between acoustic and acoustics?

Acoustic is an adjective meaning relating to sound or hearing, as in 'acoustic signal' or 'acoustic guitar.' Acoustics is a noun: it names the science of sound, and also the sound qualities of a space, as in 'the hall has excellent acoustics.'

Is it 'a acoustic' or 'an acoustic'?

It is 'an acoustic,' because acoustic begins with a vowel sound. The choice between a and an depends on sound rather than spelling, so English speakers say 'an acoustic guitar' just as they say 'an hour.'

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