Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A sine wave is a smooth periodic oscillation that describes a smooth repetitive fluctuation. It’s named after the function sine, which it closely resembles.
Related terms
Cosine Wave: A type of wave that is shifted by 90 degrees from a sine wave.
Phase Shift: The shift in position of a periodic waveform with respect to time.