# noise

> English word · Noun · IPA /nɔɪz/ · frequency rank #2,746

## Definitions
1. Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant.
2. Any sound.
3. Sound or signal generated by random fluctuations.
4. Any part of a signal or data that reduces the clarity, precision, or quality of the desired output.
5. Variation or deviation generated by random fluctuations.
6. Unwanted fuss or bustle; useless activity.
7. The measured level of variation in gene expression among cells, regardless of source, within a supposedly identical population.
8. Rumour or complaint.
9. Speech that is suggestive of an attitude or opinion.
10. Music, in general; a concert; also, a company of musicians; a band.
11. A genre of rock music that uses static and other non-musical sounds, also influenced by art rock.

## Etymology
From Middle English noyse, noise, from Old French noise (“a dispute, wrangle, strife, noise”), of uncertain origin. According to some, from Latin nausia, nausea (“disgust, nausea”); according to others, from Latin noxia (“hurt, harm, damage, injury”); but neither explanation is satisfactory in regard to either form or sense. Potentially a reduced form of Old French enoiier (“to bother, to disturb”), from Latin inodio (“to make repulsive”) - which would make it a doublet of English annoy (“to bother, to irritate”) and English ennui (“boredom, jadedness, depression”). Compare Piedmontese nojé (“to bother, to annoy”), though this fails to explain the final /z/.

## Easily confused with
- **nos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nos)
- **note** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-note)
- **none** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-none)
- **nose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nose)
- **nope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nope)
- **nous** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nous)
- **nosy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nosy)
- **nome** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nome)
- **nurse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nurse)
- **noisy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-noisy)
- **Norse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-norse)
- **nosed** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-nosed)
- **noone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-noone)
- **noose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-noose)
- **notice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-notice)
- **novice** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-novice)
- **Noyes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noise-vs-noyes)
- **nis** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/nis-vs-noise)
- **NOI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noi-vs-noise)
- **Noe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/noe-vs-noise)

## Common misspellings (6)
`niose`, `nnoise`, `noies`, `noisse`, `nosie`, `onise`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/noise