In physics, a wave is an oscillation accompanied by a transfer of energy that travels through space or mass. Frequency refers to the addition of time. Wave motion transfers energy from one point to another, which may or may not displace particles of the transmission medium—that is, with little or no associated mass transport. Waves consist, instead, of oscillations or vibrations (of a physical quantity), around almost fixed locations.
A wave is a disturbance that propagates through space and time, transferring energy. The original meaning was that of waves on water, or Wind waves. Many other phenomena are defined to be like waves.