Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1900-2000
Origin: deci- + bel unit of sound power (20-21 centuries), from Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), US inventor

decibel

 noun
     
Related topics: Measurement
dec‧i‧bel [countable] written abbreviation dB
TM a unit for measuring the loudness of sound:
noise levels exceeding 85 decibels
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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