noise

English Online Dictionary. What means noise‎? What does noise mean?

English

Etymology

From Middle English noyse, noise, from Old French noise (“a dispute, wrangle, strife, noise”), of uncertain origin. According to some, from Latin nausia, nausea (“disgust, nausea”); according to others, from Latin noxia (“hurt, harm, damage, injury”); but neither explanation is satisfactory in regard to either form or sense.

Pronunciation

• enPR: noiz, IPA^(key): /nɔɪz/
• Rhymes: -ɔɪz
• Homophone: Noyes

Noun

noise (countable and uncountable, plural noises)

1. (uncountable) Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant.
2. Any sound.

3. Sound or signal generated by random fluctuations.
4. (technology) Any part of a signal or data that reduces the clarity, precision, or quality of the desired output.

   signal-to-noise ratio
5. (figurative, by extension) Unwanted fuss or bustle; useless activity.
6. (genetics) The measured level of variation in gene expression among cells, regardless of source, within a supposedly identical population.
7. Rumour or complaint.
   • 1709-1710, Thomas Baker, Reflections on Learning

     What noise have we had for fome Years about Transplantation of diseases and transfusion of blood!

   • October 13, 1711, Joseph Addison, The Spectator, No. 195

     He [Socrates] lived in Athens during the great plague, which has made so much noise through all ages.

8. (informal) Speech that is suggestive of an attitude or opinion.
9. (obsolete) Music, in general; a concert; also, a company of musicians; a band.
10. (music) A genre of rock music that uses static and other non-musical sounds, also influenced by art rock.

Synonyms

• (Various sounds): sound

Hyponyms

• (Various sounds): bang, boom, crash, thud

Derived terms

Translations

References

(Genetics meaning) "Noise in Gene Expression: Origins, Consequences, and Control." Jonathan M. Raser and Erin K. O'Shea (2005). Science. 309(5743):2010-2013.

Verb

noise (third-person singular simple present noises, present participle noising, simple past and past participle noised)

1. (intransitive) To make a noise; to sound.
2. (transitive) To spread news of; to spread as rumor or gossip.

Translations

Further reading

• “noise”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “noise”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “noise”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• onsie, eosin-, eosin, NESOI, nosie, Senoi

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French noise, possibly from Latin nausia, nausea, or alternatively noxia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /nwaz/

Noun

noise f (plural noises)

1. (archaic or literary) quarrel, argument

Derived terms

• chercher des noises

Further reading

• “noise”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Anagrams

• noies

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

noise

1. Alternative form of noyse

Etymology 2

Verb

noise

1. Alternative form of noysen

Middle French

Etymology

Old French noise.

Noun

noise f (plural noises)

1. noise

Descendants

• French: noise

Old French

Etymology

Uncertain; according to some, from Latin nausia, nausea (“disgust, nausea”), compare Old Occitan nauza (“noise, quarrel”); according to others, from Latin noxia (“hurt, harm, damage, injury”); but neither explanation is satisfactory in regard to either form or sense.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnoi̯.zə/

Noun

noise oblique singular, f (oblique plural noises, nominative singular noise, nominative plural noises)

1. dispute, argument
2. noise, sound

Descendants

• Middle French: noise
  • French: noise
• → Middle English: noyse, neoyse, noice, noise, noyce, noyes, noys
  • English: noise
  • Scots: noise