plural in form but singular in construction
: a branch of science concerned with the production of sound by and its effects on living organisms

Examples of bioacoustics in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Digital bioacoustics relies on very small, portable, lightweight digital recorders, which are like miniature microphones that scientists are installing everywhere from the Arctic to the Amazon. Sophie Bushwick, Scientific American, 7 Feb. 2023 In 2023, tech companies such as Microsoft will also start leveraging AI models to assist researchers in processing and analyzing large volumes of bioacoustics recordings. WIRED, 5 Jan. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bioacoustics was in 1955

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Cite this Entry

“Bioacoustics.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bioacoustics. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

Medical Definition

bioacoustics

noun, plural in form but singular in construction
: a branch of science that deals with the relation between living things and sound
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