decibel

== English == === Etymology === From deci- + bel. === Pronunciation === (General American) IPA(key): /ˈdɛsɪbɛl/, /ˈdɛsɪbəl/ === Noun === decibel (plural decibels) A common measure of intensity ratio (e.g. for sound) that is one tenth of a bel on the logarithmic intensity scale. It is defined as dB = 10 log10(P1 / P2), where P1 and P2 are the relative intensities. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== == Czech == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈdɛt͡sɪbɛl] === Noun === decibel m inan decibel (unit of sound intensity ratio) ==== Declension ==== === Further reading === “decibel”, in Kartotéka Novočeského lexikálního archivu (in Czech) “decibel”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989 == Dutch == === Etymology === Borrowed from English decibel. Equivalent to deci- +‎ bel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈdeːsiˌbɛl/ Hyphenation: de‧ci‧bel === Noun === decibel m (plural decibels, diminutive decibeltje n) decibel ==== Descendants ==== → Papiamentu: desibèl == Hungarian == === Etymology === Either deci- +‎ bel or internationalism. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ˈdɛt͡sibɛl] Hyphenation: de‧ci‧bel Rhymes: -ɛl === Noun === decibel (plural decibelek) decibel (a common measure of sound intensity ratio, symbol: dB) ==== Declension ==== ==== Derived terms ==== === Further reading === decibel in Nóra Ittzés, editor, A magyar nyelv nagyszótára [A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Hungarian Language] (Nszt.), Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 2006–2031 (work in progress; published a–ez as of 2026). == Italian == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from English decibel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈdɛ.t͡ʃi.bel/, (traditional) /de.t͡ʃiˈbɛl/ Rhymes: -ɛtʃibel, (traditional) -ɛl Hyphenation: dè‧ci‧bel, (traditional) de‧ci‧bèl === Noun === decibel m (invariable) decibel === References === == Portuguese == === Pronunciation === Hyphenation: de‧ci‧bel === Noun === decibel m (plural decibéis) decibel (a common measure of sound intensity) === Further reading === “decibel”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026 “decibel”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026 == Romanian == === Etymology === Borrowed from French décibel. === Noun === decibel m (plural decibeli) decibel ==== Declension ==== == Spanish == === Etymology === Borrowed from English decibel, equivalent to deci- +‎ bel. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /deθiˈbel/ [d̪e.θiˈβ̞el] (Equatorial Guinea, Spain) IPA(key): /desiˈbel/ [d̪e.siˈβ̞el] (Latin America, Philippines) Rhymes: -el Syllabification: de‧ci‧bel === Noun === decibel m (plural decibeles) alternative form of decibelio === Further reading === “decibel”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025