French physicist who was the first to scientifically study acoustics. Not only did Sauveur coin the term "acoustics," he also studied it intensively, paying special attention to the relationships between notes and tones on the musical scale. Although of limited utility at the time, the science of acoustics has become very important in recent years in the physics laboratory, where it is responsible for sonoluminescence and other interesting phenomena. In addition, the science of acoustics led directly to the study of vibratory, oscillatory, and periodic motion, all of which are greatly important in physics, engineering, and other disciplines.