low-frequency
Meaning
Happening or appearing only rarely or occasionally.
(Of an electrical signal, wave, etc.) Having a low number of cycles per second.
Structure
Usage
This is a low-frequency event that we only expect to see once a decade.
Low-frequency radio waves can travel long distances by bouncing off the ionosphere.
The study focused on low-frequency words that are rarely encountered in everyday conversation.
Etymology
The term 'low-frequency' is a modern English compound adjective formed by directly combining two established words. 'Low', with Germanic origins related to the concept of being not high, evolved to describe small measures or degrees. 'Frequency', from Latin denoting a crowded or numerous gathering, shifted in scientific usage (from the 16th century) to mean the rate of recurrence of an event. The compound logically marries these concepts: 'low' modifies 'frequency' to specify a rate that is small or infrequent. In its technical application to waves and signals, it precisely describes oscillations with a comparatively small number of cycles per unit time, a meaning solidified with the advancement of physics and electronics.
Analysis
- low: From Old English 'hlāw', 'hlǣw' (mound, hill), later influenced by Old Norse 'lágr' (low in position, humble). In this compound, it functions as an adjective meaning 'small in amount, degree, or intensity'. - frequency: From Latin 'frequentia' (a crowd, multitude, numerous assembly), via French 'fréquence'. In this compound, it functions as a noun meaning 'the rate at which something occurs or is repeated over a particular period'.