high fidelity

Meanings

1. 1noununcountabletechnical

   The ability of audio equipment to reproduce sound very close to the original recording, with little distortion.

   Grammar: Uncountable and usually stands alone: the system offers high fidelity.

   Patterns

   • sound in high fidelity
   • high fidelity of something

   The record was praised for its warmth and high fidelity.

   Old radios could not deliver high fidelity, so music sounded thin.

   Listeners paid extra for high fidelity at the concert hall's new sound system.

2. 2adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Producing sound that closely matches the original, with very little noise or distortion.

   Grammar: Usually before a noun and hyphenated: a high-fidelity amplifier.

   Patterns

   • high-fidelity sound
   • a high-fidelity speaker

   He saved up for a high-fidelity turntable.

   High-fidelity headphones let you hear every instrument.

   The studio uses high-fidelity monitors to check each mix.

3. 3adjectivebefore a nountechnical

   Matching a real object or situation very closely, as in a model, prototype or simulation.

   Grammar: Used in design and technology: a high-fidelity prototype, the opposite of a rough low-fidelity sketch.

   Patterns

   • a high-fidelity prototype
   • a high-fidelity simulation

   The designers showed a high-fidelity prototype that looked like the finished app.

   Pilots train in a high-fidelity simulator that copies real flight.

   A high-fidelity model of the bridge was tested in a wind tunnel.

Common combinations

high-fidelity sound

The speakers deliver high-fidelity sound at any volume.

high-fidelity audio

Streaming services now offer high-fidelity audio.

high-fidelity prototype

The team built a high-fidelity prototype for user testing.

high-fidelity simulation

Medical students practice on a high-fidelity simulation.

high-fidelity recording

This is a high-fidelity recording of the live concert.

Synonyms and how they differ

hi-fi

Hi-fi is the casual shortened form, widely used for home stereo equipment, while high fidelity sounds more technical.

lifelike

Lifelike can describe anything that looks real, whereas high fidelity is about close copying, especially of sound.

accurate

Accurate means correct in general, while high fidelity specifically means a very close reproduction of an original.

crisp

Crisp describes sound that is clear and sharp, but high fidelity also implies faithfulness to the original.

Opposites

Word family

fidelity noun

closeness to the original, or loyalty

hi-fi noun

short for high-fidelity sound equipment

low fidelity noun

rough, less accurate reproduction

lo-fi adjective

deliberately or naturally low in sound quality

Commonly confused: high fidelity or Wi-Fi?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “high fidelity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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