ScienceAugust 17, 2026
infrasonic
in-fruh-SON-ik
Definition
Refers to sound waves with frequencies below the lower limit of human hearing, typically below 20 Hz.
Etymology
Derived from the Latin 'infra' meaning 'below' and the Greek 'sonikos' meaning 'sound', it entered English in the early 20th century to describe sub-audible vibrations.
In the news
The article uses 'infrasonic' to distinguish sound ranges outside human perception, explaining why passive acoustic monitoring is necessary to study species that communicate or exist in ranges we cannot hear.
Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil
Read the full article ↗Aeon