Bel

usgb/bel/
noun

A unit of sound level that shows how strong a sound is.

The lawnmower is rated at 90 bels, it's very noisy.
Visual representation of "bel" - A unit of sound level that shows how strong a sound is

Usage tips

Technical

Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "bel"
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Sound Measurement

Bel is rarely used alone; its decimal subdivision 'decibel' is more common for measuring sound.

Illustration for Sound Measurement
Her piano playing peaked at 70 decibels, not bels.
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Technical Context

Use 'bel' in technical or scientific discussions about acoustics or electronics.

Illustration for Technical Context
The signal-to-noise ratio is often measured in bels.
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Practical Scale

Understand 'bel' as a logarithmic scale; each increase of 1 bel means a sound is ten times louder.

Illustration for Practical Scale
A rock concert can be 3 to 4 bels louder than a vacuum cleaner.
Visual representation of the word "Bel"

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