Loudness
/ˈlaʊd.nəs/noun
The quality or state of being loud; intensity of sound.
Did you know?The deeper root behind English loud is Proto-Germanic *hlūdaz, which meant “famous” or “well-known,” so the word’s oldest energy was more about being heard by the world than volume alone.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*klew-
“to hear; to be heard of, famous”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hlūdaz
“loud, famous, renowned”
Old English
English
hlūd
“loud; noisy; famous”
Middle English
English
loude
“loud, noisy”
14th Century
English
loudnesse
“the quality of being loud”
Modern English
English
loudness
“the quality or state of being loud”
Explore more surprising origins