What does inaudibility mean?
Inaudibility is the condition of a sound or voice being impossible or very difficult to hear. It may refer to speech that is too quiet to hear, a sound obscured by distance or competing noise, or an event that produces no perceptible sound. The word is formal and precise, distinguishing the quality of a sound from the related condition of unintelligibility, in which something can be heard but not understood. In literature and technical description, it can also suggest concealment, insignificance, or an absence of audible evidence. Although the standard plural is inaudibilities, the singular form is much more common in both British and American English.
nounThe quality or state of being inaudible, especially being impossible or very difficult to hear.
- The quality or state of being impossible or very difficult to hear.
"The distance and the wind combined with the inaudibility of her voice made the conversation impossible to follow."
"The engine's inaudibility surprised her, since she had expected a loud mechanical rumble."
"His fear of the teacher's anger led him to answer the question in near inaudibility."
The plural is grammatically correct but is rarely used; the singular is normally preferred.
"The report documented the inaudibilities that affected the recording."
Inaudibility is the silent condition in which a sound may exist perfectly well, yet remain beyond the reach of the ear.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does inaudibility come from?
The word was formed in the 19th century from inaudible, meaning 'not able to be heard,' together with the noun-forming suffix -ity. Inaudible itself combines the Latin negative prefix in- with audible, which derives from Latin audire, 'to hear.' The same Latin root underlies related English words such as audible, audition, audience, and audio, as well as audit and auditor.
Related word forms
How inaudibility is actually used
This is a formal noun and is more common in technical, literary, or descriptive writing than in everyday conversation. It often describes speech, sound, movement, or an event that cannot be heard.
Easily confused with inaudibility
Inaudibility refers to a sound not being loud or clear enough to hear, whereas unintelligibility refers to a sound being heard but its meaning not being understood.
Inaudibility concerns what cannot be heard, while invisibility concerns what cannot be seen.