Acoustically

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that pertains to sound and its qualities
2. Relating to how sound waves are produced, transmitted, and received
3. In a way that involves the nature or behavior of sound waves

Etymology: "Acoustically" is "acoustic" plus the adverbial ending "-ally," which English builds on adjectives ending in "-ic." The adjective "acoustic" came into English from Medieval Latin "acousticus," which was borrowed from Ancient Greek "ăkoustikós," meaning "of hearing" or "relating to hearing." That Greek adjective grew from "akoúō," "to hear," so the word's core idea is simply hearing. The ending does most of the grammatical work. The "-ic" in "acoustic" comes from Greek "-ikós," and English pairs it with "-al" to form "acoustical," then with "-ly" to make the adverb. Where "acoustical" is the more common adjective in many technical uses, "acoustically" is its adverbial partner, describing how something behaves with respect to sound.

Synonyms: sonically, audibly