WordGarden.iotransmitter
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /trænsmˈɪtə/
US
- /trænsˈmɪtər/
Meanings
Noun
a device that sends out radio, electronic, or other signals
a person or thing that passes something on to others
Beyond the definition
Imagine a message needing to travel farther than your voice can reach. That is where a transmitter comes in. A transmitter is the part of a system that sends out information, energy, or a signal from one place to another. It often changes that information into a form that can travel well, such as a radio, light, or electronic signal. Think of a radio station sending music, a phone tower sending your call, or a remote control sending a command to your TV.
The word "transmit" means to send something onward, and a transmitter is the thing doing that job. It is not only about sound. Transmitters are used in many kinds of technology, from Wi-Fi equipment in your home to systems in cars, planes, and satellites. In a wider sense, the word can also describe anything that passes something along.
A transmitter is a device, part, or source that sends something from one place to another. Very often, it means an electronic device that sends out information as a signal. That information might be sound, video, data, a control command, or some other kind of message. In many systems, the transmitter changes the original information into a form that can travel better, such as a radio wave, infrared light, or another electronic signal.
In wireless communication, a transmitter is the sending side of the system. It prepares the signal and sends it outward so that a receiver can pick it up. For example, a radio station uses one to send programs over the air, a phone tower uses one to send calls and data, and a garage door opener uses one to send a short command. A TV remote also works as a small transmitter, sending an infrared signal to the television.
Some transmitters are tiny and low-power, while others are large and powerful. A small one in a Bluetooth device may send data only a short distance. A large broadcast transmitter may cover a city or more. Satellites, aircraft systems, navigation tools, and wireless networks all depend on transmitters of different kinds.
The exact meaning depends on the context. In electronics, it usually means a device that sends a signal. In biology, the related word neurotransmitter means a chemical that carries signals between nerve cells. In ordinary use, the main idea stays the same: something that sends, passes along, or gives out information, signals, or energy.
From everyday tools like radios, remotes, and phones to complex systems used in aircraft, satellites, and science, transmitters help messages and signals move where they need to go. The word is most common in technical settings, but its central idea is simple: it is the part that sends something out.
Examples
- 1
Radio signal
A new transmitter on the hill improved radio reception across the valley.
- 2
Wildlife tracking
Each bird was fitted with a tiny transmitter so scientists could track where it flew.
- 3
Stage equipment
The singer wears a bodypack transmitter during the show, so she can move freely on stage.
- Phrasebodypack transmitter
a small wireless device worn on the body
- 4
Garage door
If the garage door transmitter stops working, try changing the battery first.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- radio transmitter
- wireless transmitter
- transmitter power
Word family
Explore
- communication system
- antenna
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- transmitternoun
Forms
- transmitterspluralnoun