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DECIBEL

 - 6 dictionary results

dec⋅i⋅bel

  [des-uh-bel, -buhl]
Use DECIBEL in a Sentence
–noun Physics.
1. a unit used to express the intensity of a sound wave, equal to 20 times the common logarithm of the ratio of the pressure produced by the sound wave to a reference pressure, usually 0.0002 microbar.
2. a unit of power ratio, the number of units being equal to a constant times the logarithm to the base 10 of the intensities of two sources.
3. a unit used to compare two voltages or currents, equal to 20 times the common logarithm of the ratio of the voltages or currents measured across equal resistances. Abbreviation: dB, db
Origin:
1925–30; deci- + bel
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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de·ci·bel   (děs'ə-bəl, -běl')   
n.   Abbr. dB
A unit used to express relative difference in power or intensity, usually between two acoustic or electric signals, equal to ten times the common logarithm of the ratio of the two levels.

[deci- + bel.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

decibel [(des-uh-buhl, des-uh-bel)]

A unit of measurement of the volume of sounds.

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

decibel 
1928, coined from L. decibus "tenth," from decem "ten" + bel unit for measuring sound, after Alexander Graham Bell.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: deci·bel
Pronunciation: 'des-&-b&l, -"bel
Function: noun
1 a : a unit for expressing the ratio of two amounts of electricor acoustic signal power equal to 10 times the common logarithm of this ratio b : a unit for expressing the ratio of the magnitudes of two electric voltages or currents or analogousacoustic quantities equal to 20 times the common logarithm of the voltage or current ratio
2 : a unit for expressing the relative intensity of sounds on a scale from zero for theaverage least perceptible sound to about 130 for the average pain level
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

decibel de·ci·bel (děs'ə-bəl, -běl')
n.
Abbr. dB
A unit used to express relative difference in power or intensity, usually between two acoustic or electric signals, equal to ten times the common logarithm of the ratio of the two levels.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
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