adj · noun · 11 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/əˈkuː.stɪk/
Canada, General-American:/əˈku.stɪk/
California:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/əˈkʉː.stɪk/
New-Zealand:/əˈkʉː.stək/
rhymes with -uːstɪk
CMU ARPABET:AH0 K UW1 S T IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Pertaining to the sense of hearing, the organs of hearing, or the science of sounds.
Used for soundproofing or modifying sound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: architecture
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: auditory
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: auditory
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
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.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: engineering, government, military, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, politics, tools, war, weaponry
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: auditory
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Naturally producing or produced by an instrument without electrical amplification or the need thereof.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
Examples
acoustic guitar, acoustic piano
Coordinate term: unplugged
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Nonelectric; mechanical or otherwise basic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: humorous, not-comparable, proscribed
Qualifier: transferred sense
Examples
acoustic bike
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: analog
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Euphemistic form of autistic.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Internet, euphemistic, form-of, humorous, offensive, sometimes
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: artistic
Antonyms: none provided
7
noun
Meaning 7
The properties or qualities of a room or building that determine how sound is transmitted in it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: plural-normally
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A medicine or other agent to assist hearing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: medicine, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
noun
Meaning 9
Clipping of acoustic guitar.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective
Meaning 10
of or relating to the science of acoustics
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
acoustic properties of a hall
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: acoustical
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
a remedy for hearing loss or deafness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
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).
Due to the shared metrical structure of autistic and acoustic. Popularized on TikTok in late October 2023.
Across languages
Translations
90 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
صَوْتِيّ
(ṣawtiyy)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Arabic:
صوتي
(ṣawti)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Bulgarian:
слухов
(sluhov)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Bulgarian:
акустичен
(akustičen)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Catalan:
acústic
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Czech:
akustický
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Czech:
zvukový
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Danish:
akustisk
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Dutch:
akoestisch
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Dutch:
akoestische
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Esperanto:
akustika
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Finnish:
akustinen
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
French:
acoustique
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Galician:
acústico
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Georgian:
აკუსტიკური
(aḳusṭiḳuri)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
German:
akustisch
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Greek:
ακουστικός
(akoustikós)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Interlingua:
acustic
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Irish:
fuaimiúil
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Irish:
fuaime
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Italian:
acustico
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Japanese:
音の
(oto-no)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Japanese:
音響の
(onkyō-no)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Latvian:
akustisks
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Malay:
اکوستيک
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Malay:
akustik
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Norwegian Bokmål:
akustisk
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Norwegian Nynorsk:
akustisk
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Polish:
akustyczny
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Portuguese:
acústico
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Russian:
акусти́ческий
(akustíčeskij)
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Scottish Gaelic:
fuaimearra
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Serbo-Croatian:
аку̀стичкӣ
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Serbo-Croatian:
слушни
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Serbo-Croatian:
akùstičkī
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Serbo-Croatian:
slušni
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Spanish:
acústico
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Swedish:
akustisk
— pertaining to hearing or the science of sounds
Bulgarian:
акустичен
(akustičen)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Catalan:
acústic
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Chinese Mandarin:
不插電 /不插电
(bùchādiàn)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Chinese Mandarin:
原聲 /原声
(yuánshēng)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Czech:
akustický
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Danish:
akustisk
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Dutch:
akoestisch
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Dutch:
akoestische
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Esperanto:
akustika
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Finnish:
akustinen
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
French:
acoustique
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Galician:
acústico
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Georgian:
აკუსტიკური
(aḳusṭiḳuri)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
German:
akustisch
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Greek:
ακουστικός
(akoustikós)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Irish:
acústach
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Italian:
acustico
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Japanese:
アコースティック
(akōsutikku)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Norwegian Bokmål:
akustisk
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Norwegian Nynorsk:
akustisk
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Polish:
akustyczny
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Portuguese:
acústico
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Russian:
акусти́ческий
(akustíčeskij)
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Scottish Gaelic:
fuaimearra
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Serbo-Croatian:
аку̀стичан
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Serbo-Croatian:
akùstičan
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Spanish:
acústico
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Swedish:
akustisk
— producing or produced without electrical amplification
Bulgarian:
акустика
(akustika)
— quality of a space for doing music
Catalan:
acústica
— quality of a space for doing music
Czech:
akustika
— quality of a space for doing music
Dutch:
akoestiek
— quality of a space for doing music
Esperanto:
akustiko
— quality of a space for doing music
Finnish:
akustiikka
— quality of a space for doing music
French:
acoustique
— quality of a space for doing music
Galician:
acústica
— quality of a space for doing music
Georgian:
აკუსტიკა
(aḳusṭiḳa)
— quality of a space for doing music
German:
Akustik
— quality of a space for doing music
Greek:
ακουστική
(akoustikí)
— quality of a space for doing music
Ido:
akustiko
— quality of a space for doing music
Irish:
éisteacht
— quality of a space for doing music
Irish:
fuaimíocht
— quality of a space for doing music
Italian:
acustica
— quality of a space for doing music
Japanese:
音響
(onkyō)
— quality of a space for doing music
Latvian:
akustika
— quality of a space for doing music
Polish:
akustyka
— quality of a space for doing music
Portuguese:
acústica
— quality of a space for doing music
Romanian:
acustică
— quality of a space for doing music
Russian:
аку́стика
(akústika)
— quality of a space for doing music
Scottish Gaelic:
fuaimearrachd
— quality of a space for doing music
Spanish:
acústica
— quality of a space for doing music
Swedish:
akustik
— quality of a space for doing music
