sound-absorbing
|sound-ab-sorb-ing|
🇺🇸
/saʊnd-əbˈzɔrbɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/saʊnd-əbˈzɔːbɪŋ/
absorbs sound
Etymology
'sound-absorbing' originates from Modern English, specifically a compound of the noun 'sound' (from Old English 'sund', meaning 'sound/noise') and the verb 'absorb' (from Latin 'absorbere', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and the root related to 'sorb-' meant 'to suck in').
'absorb' entered English via Old French 'absorber' and Middle English forms; the present participle 'absorbing' combined with the noun 'sound' to form the modern technical compound 'sound-absorbing'.
Initially 'absorb' meant 'to suck in or take up' (physical intake); over time it extended to taking in various kinds of energy (heat, light, sound), so 'sound-absorbing' came to mean 'able to take in or dampen sound energy'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having the property or design that absorbs sound (reduces reflection or transmission of sound); effective at damping or taking in sound energy.
The new ceiling tiles are sound-absorbing, which significantly reduces echoes in the room.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/23 11:09