modem

American  

[moh-duhm, -dem] / ˈmoʊ dəm, -dɛm /

noun

1. an electronic device that makes possible the transmission of data to or from a computer via telephone or other communication lines.

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verb (used with object)

1. to send or receive (information, data, or the like) via a modem.

modem British  

/ ˈməʊdɛm /

noun

1. computing a device for connecting two computers by a telephone line, consisting of a modulator that converts computer signals into audio signals and a corresponding demodulator

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modem Scientific  

/ mō′dəm /

1. A device for transmitting and receiving digital data over telephone wires. Modems send data by converting it into audio signals and receive it by converting audio signals back into digital form. The speed at which modems transmit data is measured in bps (bits per second).

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modem Cultural  

1. A device that links a personal computer to a telephone line, so that the computer can receive information from other computers.

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Etymology

Origin of modem

mo(dulator) - dem(odulator)

Explanation

Simply put, a modem is an electronic device that changes a digital computer signal to audio so it can be carried on telephone lines. It also changes an incoming signal back so it can be read on the computer. Although a form of modem was used as early as 1940 to connect teletype machines to telephones, the word appeared with growing use in 1958, taken from its function as a "modulator" and "demodulator" of sound signals, changing them from audio to digital and back again. This is critical in computer use. Since its inception, modem speeds, measured in bits per second, or bps, have increased dramatically, from the early 300 bps to scorching speeds of USB wireless modems.

Example Sentences

Josso, a member of the lower house of parliament representing the Loire-Atlantique region with the centrist Modem party, has not spoken publicly about the investigation.

From Washington Times • Nov. 18, 2023

The texting feature will be available in phones that have both Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and its X70 Modem system.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 16, 2023

"It's been over a month of living with nothing," Neelakka Modem, a tribal woman from the western Indian state of Maharashtra, says gloomily as rain trickles down her rickety plastic tent.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2022

Modem sales increased 26 percent year-over-year, which we attribute largely to the iPhone refresh, Oppenheimer analyst Rick Schafer said.

From Reuters • Jan. 26, 2018

Getting to the *Modem surveys using lasers and state-of-the-art Doppler satellite transmissions have revised this measurement upward a mere 26 feet—to the currendy accepted altitude of 29,028 feet, or 8,848 meters.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Related Words

• disk drive
• hardware
• personal computer
• supercomputer