In a surface acoustic wave (SAW) device, such as a SAW resonator or a SAW filter, loss is minimized and steep characteristics are improved. IDT electrodes and a reflector are provided to a piezoelectric substrate cut out at a cut-angle which allows the substrate to excite a leaky surface acoustic wave (LSAW). The IDT electrodes have a given film thickness and a given pitch “p” of finger-electrodes. A phase velocity of the SAW is reduced to slower than a phase velocity “vb”of a slow shear wave propagating on the piezoelectric substrate, and a resonance frequency “f” satisfies a relation of 2×p≦vb/f. This structure allows the use of a Rayleigh surface acoustic wave (RSAW) which does not produce propagation loss, and improving insertion-loss and steep characteristics from those of a conventional SAW device using the LSAW.