Meaning & use
ultrasonic
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivebefore a nountechnical
Relating to sound waves with a frequency too high for humans to hear.
Grammar: Used before a noun: ultrasonic waves, ultrasonic devices.
Patterns
- ultrasonic waves
- ultrasonic cleaning
- ultrasonic sensor
Bats use ultrasonic sounds to navigate in the dark.
The dentist used an ultrasonic tool to clean my teeth.
Ultrasonic waves can be used to detect cracks in metal.
Common combinations
- ultrasonic waves
- Ultrasonic waves are used in medical imaging.
- ultrasonic cleaning
- The jewelry was cleaned using ultrasonic cleaning.
- ultrasonic sensor
- The robot uses an ultrasonic sensor to avoid obstacles.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- ultrasound noun
- Sound with a frequency above the human hearing range, or the medical use of such sound.
- supersonic adjective
- Faster than the speed of sound; not to be confused with ultrasonic, which is about frequency.
Commonly confused: ultrasonic or supersonic? ultrasonic or infrasonic?
ultrasonic vs supersonic
Supersonic means faster than the speed of sound, while ultrasonic means having a frequency too high for humans to hear.
ultrasonic vs infrasonic
Infrasonic means having a frequency too low for humans to hear, the opposite of ultrasonic.
Practice
The device emits ______ waves that only dogs can hear.
Choose one answer.
Ultrasonic waves are too high for humans to hear but can be heard by some animals. Supersonic refers to speed, not sound frequency. Infrasonic is too low for humans, and subsonic means below the speed of sound.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “ultrasonic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.