high-frequency
Meaning
Occurring or appearing very often or many times within a short period.
Structure
Usage
'The' and 'of' are high-frequency words in the English language.
The radio equipment operates on a high-frequency band.
High-frequency trading uses powerful computers to execute a large number of orders in fractions of a second.
Etymology
The compound 'high-frequency' is a modern English formation built from two native and borrowed elements. The adjective 'high', with ancient Germanic roots related to height and degree, is used figuratively to denote a large measure or intensity. It is combined with 'frequency', a word of Latin origin (frequentia) which originally described a crowded throng, a meaning that evolved to signify a high rate of recurrence. The logic of the compound is transparent: it literally means 'having a great rate of occurrence', a concept now central to fields like linguistics, electronics, and statistics, where it describes events or signals that repeat at short intervals.
Analysis
- high: From Old English hēah, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch hoog and German hoch. In this compound, it functions as an intensifier meaning 'great in degree or amount'. - frequency: From Latin frequentia, from frequens meaning 'crowded, frequent'. In this compound, it functions as the core noun meaning 'the rate at which something occurs'.