# echo

/ˈɛkoʊ/ (US) · /ˈɛkəʊ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/echo
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. reflected sound

noun · CEFR B1

a sound that you hear again because it bounces off a surface like a wall or a mountain.

For teachers: the repetition of a sound caused by the reflection of sound waves from a surface back to the listener.

- We shouted into the deep canyon and waited for the echo to return.
- The acoustic design of the cathedral was so precise that even a faint whisper produced a clear echo against the marble walls.

### 2. a reminder or similarity

noun · CEFR B2

something that reminds you of an earlier event or a similar thing.

For teachers: a detail or characteristic that is suggestive of or reminiscent of something else.

- The new building has echoes of the traditional style used in this city.
- The journalist noted several echoes of the 1930s economic crisis in the current market volatility.

### 3. heart scan

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

a short name for a medical test that uses sound to look at your heart.

For teachers: a colloquial clipping for an echocardiogram or echocardiography.

- The doctor ordered an echo to check how well my heart valves were working.
- The cardiologist reviewed the results of the stress echo to determine if the patient required surgical intervention.

### 4. to bounce back

verb · CEFR B1

when a sound hits a surface and is heard again.

For teachers: to be repeated or to reverberate after reflecting off a surface.

- Their footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallway.
- The sound of the gavel echoed through the silent courtroom, signaling the end of the long trial.

### 5. to repeat someone's ideas

verb · CEFR B2

to say the same thing as someone else because you agree with them.

For teachers: to repeat or imitate the words, thoughts, or opinions of another person, often to express agreement.

- The minister's speech echoed the concerns of many local people.
- The CEO's recent comments echo the sentiments expressed by the board of directors during last month's annual meeting.

### 6. to display text

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to show a message or command on a computer screen.

For teachers: to send a string of characters to the standard output device, typically the command-line interface.

- You can use a simple command to echo the text to the terminal.
- The script was designed to echo each step of the installation process to the log file for troubleshooting purposes.

## Examples

- The children shouted into the cave to hear their echo.
- The empty hallway was so quiet that every footstep produced a sharp, hollow echo.
- In the vast cathedral, the choir's final note lingered as a fading echo that seemed to hang in the vaulted ceiling for several seconds.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.