frequency Hear it!

frequency Definition

fre·quency (frē′kwən sē)

noun pl. -·cies

  1. Obsolete
    1. the condition of being crowded
    2. a crowd
  2. the fact of occurring often or repeatedly; frequent occurrence
  3. the number of times any action or occurrence is repeated in a given period
  4. Math., Statistics
    1. the number of times an event, value, or characteristic occurs in a given period
    2. the ratio of the number of times a characteristic occurs to the number of trials in which it can potentially occur
  5. Physics the number of periodic oscillations, vibrations, or waves per unit of time: usually expressed in hertz: abbrev. f

Etymology: ME < Fr < L frequentia < frequens: see frequent

frequency Synonyms

frequency

n.

  1. The state or quality of being frequent

    recurrence, number, reiteration, repetition; see incidence, regularity.

  2. The number of occurrences in a unit of time

    beat, pulse, cycle, wavelength, radio wave, periodicity, pulsation, oscillation, rhythm, meter, round, rotation, rate.

frequency (f) Telecom Definition
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) defines frequency as the number of complete cycles of sinusoidal variation per unit time, with the unit of time generally being that of one second. Plotting y = sin x, where x is expressed in radians, yields a sine wave as illustrated in Figure F-8. (From the Latin radius, a radian is a unit of plane angular measurement equivalent to the angle between two radii that enclose a section of a circle's circumference [arc] equal in length to the length of a radius.There are 2 radians in a circle.) A complete sine wave entails a cycle as measured from a point of zero (0) amplitude to a point of maximum positive amplitude (+A), through zero to a point of maximum negative amplitude (
frequency Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • occurrence: What is the frequency of occurrence in the population of any particular style characteristic?
  • MHz: The temporary frequency of 104.8 MHz allowed London to have Radio 1 in stereo well before the rest of the country.
  • vibration: We can alter frequency of the vibration of the folds.
  • oscillation: Spectral Analysis techniques involve the examination of the pattern of oscillations in a time series in relation to the frequency of those oscillations.

Converse of object

  • modulate: Back to top Echolocation Calls The echolocation call of gray long-eared bats is frequency modulated.

Adjective modifier

  • resonant: What really happens: Now imagine a powerful opera singer who sings a note at the same resonant frequency of the wine glass.
  • vibrational: A single string could seem to be any one of several particles depending on its state of vibration, particularly its vibrational frequency.
  • relative: A new way of recording relative frequencies for simple experiments.
  • low: In general the ear is less sensitive at low frequencies.
  • fundamental: Voice pitch frequency, also fundamental frequency: refers to the lowest frequency component in a sound wave.
  • increased: Increased frequency of publication to bi-monthly in mid 1991.

Modifies a noun

  • modulation: The normal mode of communications at the TAC CP is frequency modulation ( secured ).
  • spectrum: Road traffic noise is variable and the frequency spectrum itself is not ideal for masking speech.
  • identification: This new " unit of delivery " stage follows on from Tesco's initial trials of radio frequency identification technology.
  • domain: A display of a signal in the ' frequency domain ' .

Noun used with modifier

  • allele: The error model specifies how accurate the allele frequency estimates are.
  • radio: For example, in Russia radio frequency weapons have been used to defeat security systems.
  • sampling: Water quality in water supply zones The Company failed to comply with the required sampling frequencies for a number of parameters in several zones.
  • seizure: At the end of the study, average seizure frequency had fallen to forty seizures per week.
  • microwave: Wax prisms and lenses are available with the wax having a refractive index of about 1.5 at the microwave frequencies.
frequency Quotes

   We donot expect peopletobe deeply moved by what is not unusual. That element of tragedy which lies in the very fact of frequency, has not yet wrought itself into the coarse emotion of mankind.

—Eliot, George pseudonym of  MaryAnn Evans