wavelength means the length of a single cycle of a wave, as measured by the distance between one peak or trough of a wave and the next; it is often designated in physics as λ, and corresponds to the velocity of the wave divided by its frequency. It carries an Arena rating of 1667, earned across 7 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, wavelength ranks #357 of 17,135 for Most Malleable Words, #495 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #2,605 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words, #5,197 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words.
wavelength is pronounced /ˈweɪvlɛŋ(k)θ/.
Why “wavelength” is a great word
The distance between successive crests of a wave, or, figuratively, a shared perspective or mode of thought between people. From wave (a ridge or swell on the surface of water) + length (the measurement of something from end to end); a compound formed within English, first attested in the physical sense in the 1850s, with the figurative idiom ‘on the same wavelength’ arising in the early 20th century from radio communication. Unlike “frequency,” which counts occurrences in time, or “accord,” which denotes a negotiated harmony, a shared wavelength implies an inherent, almost physical alignment of thought. It is the silent shudder of one violin string in sympathy with another, the twin dials of old radios tuning through static to a singular voice, and the unspoken glance that carries a complete conversation—proof that connection, like light itself, travels in measurable, miraculous spans.
Etymology
From wave + length.
noun
- The length of a single cycle of a wave, as measured by the distance between one peak or trough of a wave and the next; it is often designated in physics as λ, and corresponds to the velocity of the wave divided by its frequency.e.g.“I'd take requests on the telephone / I'm on a wavelength far from home” — 1983, Wall of Voodoo, “Mexican Radio”, in Call of the West:
- A person's attitude and way of thinking as compared to another person's.e.g.“I think you and I are on a different wavelength.”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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