First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1echo
noun \ˈe-(ˌ)kō\
: a sound that is a copy of another sound and that is produced when sound waves bounce off a surface (such as a wall)
: something (such as a feature or quality) that repeats or resembles something else
: something that is similar to something that happened or existed before
plural ech·oes also echos
Full Definition of ECHO
1
a : the repetition of a sound caused by reflection of sound waves b : the sound due to such reflection
2
a : a repetition or imitation of another : reflection b : repercussion, result c : trace, vestige d : response
3
: one who closely imitates or repeats another's words, ideas, or acts
4
: a soft repetition of a musical phrase
5
a : the repetition of a received radio signal due especially to reflection of part of the wave from an ionized layer of the atmosphere b (1) : the reflection of transmitted radar signals by an object (2) : the visual indication of this reflection on a radarscope
— echo·ey \ˈe-ˌkō-ē\ adjective
See echo defined for English-language learners
See echo defined for kids
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Origin of ECHO
Middle English ecco, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French echo, from Latin, from Greek ēchō; akin to Latin vagire to wail, Greek ēchē sound
Related to ECHO
Other Physics Terms
2echo
verb
: to be filled with sounds and especially with echoes
: to fill a space, area, etc., with sounds and especially with echoes
: to repeat (what someone else has said or written)
ech·oedecho·ing \ˈe-(ˌ)kō-iŋ, ˈe-kə-wiŋ\
Full Definition of ECHO
intransitive verb
1
: to resound with echoes
2
: to produce an echo
transitive verb
1
2
: to send back (a sound) by the reflection of sound waves
See echo defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of ECHO
1596
Related to ECHO
- Synonyms
- reverberate, reecho, resonate, resound, sound
Rhymes with ECHO
1Echo
noun
Definition of ECHO
: a nymph in Greek mythology who pines away for love of Narcissus until nothing is left of her but her voice
Origin of ECHO
Greek Ēchō
First Known Use: 1595
2Echo
Definition of ECHO
—a communications code word for the letter e
First Known Use of ECHO
1952
ECHO Defined for Kids
1echo
noun \ˈe-kō\
plural ech·oes
Definition of ECHO for Kids
: the repetition of a sound caused by the reflection of sound waves
2echo
verb
ech·oedecho·ing
Definition of ECHO for Kids
1
: to send back or repeat a sound
2
: to repeat another's words
Learn More About ECHO
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