Frequency
Electrical Engineering · Engineering Fundamentals · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: Frequency is the number of complete cycles of a periodic waveform that occur per unit time, typically measured in hertz.
Example in context
“The AC power supply operates at a frequency of 60 Hz, which must be considered for transformer and motor design.”
“AC güç kaynağı 60 Hz frekansta çalışır; bu, transformatör ve motor tasarımında dikkate alınmalıdır.”
Where engineers use it
Frequency appears in AC circuit analysis where it determines inductive and capacitive reactance. Engineers use it when designing filters or selecting components for power systems.
In Engineering Fundamentals
The number of complete cycles of a periodic event that occur in one unit of time, usually expressed in hertz.
“The technician measured the vibration frequency of the pump to check whether it was close to the resonance of the support frame.”
Practice: can you use “Frequency” at work?
A trainee is given an oscilloscope display of a voltage waveform and must read the frequency from the timebase setting.
Show a model answer
“What is the frequency of the AC source in this circuit?”
“Frequency” in 21 languages
| English | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Turkish | frekans |
| French | fréquence |
| German | Frequenz |
| Spanish | frecuencia |
| Chinese | 频率 |
| Arabic | تردد |
| Portuguese | frequência |
| Russian | частота |
| Japanese | 周波数 |
| Italian | frequenza |
| Vietnamese | tần số |
| Hindi | आवृत्ति |
| Thai | ความถี่ |
| Indonesian | frekuensi |
| Korean | 주파수 |
| Bengali | ফ্রিকোয়েন্সি |
| Dutch | frequentie |
| Swedish | frekvens |
| Finnish | taajuus |
| Ukrainian | частота |
Frequently asked questions
What does Frequency mean in engineering?
Frequency is the number of complete cycles of a periodic waveform that occur per unit time, typically measured in hertz. In Electrical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Frequency?
Frequency is pronounced /ˈfriːkwənsi/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Frequency used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The AC power supply operates at a frequency of 60 Hz, which must be considered for transformer and motor design.”
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