decibel
noun
-bəl
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The unit for measuring the relative intensities of sound is called a decibel. Because the decibel scale is logarithmic, a sound with an intensity that is twice that of a reference sound corresponds to an increase of little more than 3 decibels. In common practice, the reference point of 0 decibel is set at the intensity of the least perceptible sound, the threshold of hearing. On such a scale a 10-decibel sound is 10 times the intensity of the reference sound; a 20-decibel sound is 100 times the reference intensity, and so on. Normal conversation is usually around 60 decibels, an electric saw around 100 decibels, and amplified rock music around 120 decibels.
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Examples of decibel in a Sentence
Kate Geraghty, People.com, 25 Oct. 2024
The company says the headphones will have many of the hallmarks of a modern premium headset, including noise canceling that can reduce up to 40 decibels of noise.
—Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 20 July 2024
The decibel level increased by several orders of magnitude when the video scoreboards displayed the image of Freeman with his son in his arms.
—Dylan Hernández, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024
And in Times Square, where a dense orchestra of honking horns, idling motors, chattering tourists, and voluble vendors can push sound levels north of 90 decibels, the song’s unmistakable tinny beat and pogoing piano loop manage to cut through the din.
—Max Cea, Curbed, 17 Oct. 2024
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“Decibel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decibel. Accessed 25 Nov. 2024.
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decibel
noun
Medical Definition
decibel
noun
-ˌbel
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