Sound Definition

sound
sounded, soundest, sounds, sounder 1
noun
sounds
Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.
American Heritage Medicine
Vibrations in air, water, etc. that stimulate the auditory nerves and produce the sensation of hearing: although the speed of sound varies considerably, the standard is c. 331 meters per second (c. 740 mph), which is the speed in dry air at STP.
Webster's New World
The auditory sensation produced by such vibrations.
Webster's New World
The volume or quality of transmitted or recorded sound.
Webster's New World
Such sensations considered as a group.
American Heritage Medicine
Antonyms:
verb
sounded, sounds
To make a sound or sounds.
Webster's New World
To cause to sound.
To sound a gong.
Webster's New World
To have a particular tone or quality of sound.
Your voice sounds hoarse.
Webster's New World
To produce the sound of.
To sound a C on a piano.
Webster's New World
To seem, from the sound or manner of utterance.
To sound troubled.
Webster's New World
Antonyms:
adjective
soundest, sounder 1
Free from defect, damage, or decay; whole and in good condition.
Sound timber.
Webster's New World
Free from disease or injury.
American Heritage Medicine
Normal and healthy; not weak, diseased, or impaired.
A sound body and mind.
Webster's New World
Marked by or showing common sense and good judgment; levelheaded.
A sound approach to the problem.
American Heritage
Firm and safe; stable; secure.
A sound alliance.
Webster's New World
adverb
Completely; deeply.
Sound asleep.
Webster's New World
Soundly.
Wiktionary
pronoun

The strait that separates Zealand (an island of Denmark) from Scania (part of Sweden); also sometimes called by the Danish name, Øresund.

Wiktionary
interjection

(UK, slang) Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm.

"I found my jacket." - "Sound."
Wiktionary
idiom
sound off
Webster's New World

Other Word Forms of Sound

Noun

Singular:
sound
Plural:
sounds

Adjective

Base Form:
sound
Comparative:
sounder 1
Superlative:
soundest

Idioms, Phrasal Verbs Related to Sound

Origin of Sound

  • From Middle English sound, sund, isund, ȝesund, from Old English sund, Ä¡esund (“sound, safe, whole, uninjured, healthy, prosperous"), from Proto-Germanic *gasundaz, *sundaz (“healthy"), from Proto-Indo-European *sunt-, *swent- (“vigorous, active, healthy"). Cognate with Scots sound, soun (“healthy, sound"), Saterland Frisian suund, gesuund (“healthy"), West Frisian sûn (“healthy"), Dutch gezond (“healthy, sound"), Low German sund, gesund (“healthy"), German gesund (“healthy, sound"), Danish sund (“healthy"), Swedish sund (“sound, healthy"), Irish fétaid (“to be able"). Related also to German geschwind (“fast, quick"), Old English swīþ (“strong, mighty, powerful, active, severe, violent"). See swith.

    From Wiktionary

  • From Middle English sound, sund, from Old English sund (“the power, capacity, or act of swimming; swimming; sea; ocean; water; sound; strait; channel"), from Proto-Germanic *sundÄ… (“swimming; sound"), from Proto-Indo-European *swem- (“swimming; sea"). Cognate with Dutch sond (“sound; strait"), Danish sund (“sound; strait; channel"), Swedish sund (“sound; strait; channel"), Icelandic sund (“sound; strait; channel"). Related to swim.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English sounden, from Old French sonder, from sonde (“sounding line") of Germanic origin, compare Old English sundgyrd (“a sounding rod"), sundline (“a sounding line"), Old English sund (“water", "sea"). More at Etymology 3 above

    From Wiktionary

  • Noun: from Middle English sownde, alteration of sowne, from Anglo-Norman sun, soun, Old French son, from accusative of Latin sonus.

    From Wiktionary

  • Verb: from Middle English sownden, sounen, from Anglo-Norman suner, Old French soner (modern sonner), from Latin sonare

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English sounden from Old French sonder from sonde sounding line probably of Germanic origin

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English soun from Old French son from Latin sonus swen- in Indo-European roots

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Middle English from Old English sund swimming, sea

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • Old English sund, a swimming, akin to modern swim.

    From Wiktionary

  • Middle English from Old English gesund

    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition

  • From the common noun sound (“strait, inlet").

    From Wiktionary

  • The euphonic -d appears in the fifteenth century.

    From Wiktionary

Find Similar Words

Find similar words to sound using the buttons below.

Words Starting With

Words Ending With

Unscrambles

sound