dBA (A-weighted Decibels)
A measure of sound level that weights frequencies the way the human ear perceives them.
Definition
dBA stands for A-weighted decibels, a sound measurement standard that filters frequencies according to human hearing sensitivity. The A-weighting reduces the weight of very low and very high frequencies that humans perceive as quieter than their actual sound pressure level. Appliance sound ratings are quoted in dBA. The scale is logarithmic: every 10 dBA represents a doubling of perceived loudness. A 45 dBA dishwasher sounds about half as loud as a 55 dBA dishwasher, and substantially quieter than the 10 dBA difference would suggest in linear terms.
Where this term appears
dBA (A-weighted Decibels) comes up in product spec sheets, service reports, and troubleshooting documentation across most major appliance brands. If you encountered it in a manual or a service description and want context for how it fits into the larger picture, the related articles in the sidebar drill into the practical details. The glossary as a whole is intended as a quick lookup reference; for a deep dive on any specific topic, jump to the related buying guide or troubleshooting article.