S/N Ratio (Signal to Noise Ratio)

Glossary Definition

SNR or signal-to-noise ratio is a measurement commonly used in science and engineering. It is defined as the ratio between the desired information, or the power level of a signal; and the undesired information, or the power level of the background noise present.

This measurement is typically presented in decibels. 0dB would indicate a SNR of 1:1 where the desired signal and background noise levels are equal. Higher Levels indicate more signal than noise.