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frequency

FREE-kwen-see /ˈfriːkwənsi/

nounB2TOEFLIELTS

neutraltechnical

The rate at which a vibration occurs that constitutes a wave, either in a material (as in sound waves) or in an electromagnetic field (as in radio waves), usually measured per second.

In broadcasting, 'frequency' refers to the specific wavelength assigned to a station or signal, allowing multiple transmissions without interference.

The story behind the word. The word 'frequency' comes from the Latin 'frequentia,' meaning 'a crowd, multitude, or frequent occurrence.' In English, it initially referred to how often something happened. Later, in physics, it was adopted to describe the rate at which waves or vibrations occur, perfectly capturing the idea of how 'frequently' a wave cycles.

Word relationships

wavelength: Related but distinct; frequency is the rate of oscillation, wavelength is the spatial period of the wave.

Commonly confused with

amplitude: Frequency is the number of cycles per second; amplitude is the magnitude or intensity of the wave.

Word family

frequent (adjective): Happening often.
frequently (adverb): Often; repeatedly.

Collocations

radio frequency
high frequency
low frequency
change frequency

Example sentences

"To listen to your favorite station, you need to tune your radio to the correct frequency, like 98.7 FM." Explaining radio tuning.
"Governments allocate specific radio frequencies to prevent interference between different broadcasters." Discussing signal allocation.

Memory hook

Think of how 'frequently' a wave cycles per second. Frequent Cycles

When not to use

While 'frequency' also means how often something happens, in the context of broadcasting, it specifically refers to wave characteristics. Do not confuse these two meanings without context.

Fun facts

Radio frequencies are measured in Hertz (Hz), named after German physicist Heinrich Hertz, who proved the existence of electromagnetic waves.