Noiseproof

Part of speech: adjective, verb

Definitions

1. Built or constructed so that noise cannot easily pass through the walls, floors or ceilings of a space
2. Designed to block out sound from entering or leaving an enclosed area, such as a room or booth
3. Able to keep sound from travelling through a structure, making a place quiet and private inside

Etymology: "Noiseproof" is a plain compound, built from "noise" and the suffix "-proof," and its meaning follows directly from its parts. "Noise" came into English from Old French "noise," meaning a quarrel or outcry, and before that from Latin "nausea," a word borrowed from Greek for seasickness. That is a surprising ancestry for a word now meaning loud sound in general. The suffix "-proof" dates back to the early 1600s, when it was used to mean "impervious" or "able to withstand," as in "waterproof" and "bulletproof." Attaching it to "noise" produces a word meaning able to keep sound out or to resist its penetration. Because "-proof" is so productive, it can be joined to nearly any noun, which is why "noiseproof" sits comfortably alongside older compounds like "fireproof" and "soundproof."

Synonyms: soundproof