transmission

American  

[trans-mish-uhn, tranz-] / trænsˈmɪʃ ən, trænz- /

noun

1. the act or process of transmitting.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

2. the fact of being transmitted.

   Synonyms:

   conveyance, passing, passage, transfer

3. something that is transmitted.

4. Machinery.

   1. transference of force between machines or mechanisms, often with changes of torque and speed.

   2. a compact, enclosed unit of gears or the like for this purpose, as in an automobile.

5. Radio and Television. the broadcasting of electromagnetic waves from one location to another, as from a transmitter to a receiver.

6. Physics. transmittance.

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transmission British  

/ trænzˈmɪʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of transmitting

2. something that is transmitted

3. the extent to which a body or medium transmits light, sound, or some other form of energy

4. the transference of motive force or power

5. a system of shafts, gears, torque converters, etc, that transmits power, esp the arrangement of such parts that transmits the power of the engine to the driving wheels of a motor vehicle

6. the act or process of sending a message, picture, or other information from one location to one or more other locations by means of radio waves, electrical signals, light signals, etc

7. a radio or television broadcast

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• transmissiveness
  noun
• transmissive
  adjective
• nontransmission
  noun
• retransmission
  noun
• transmissible
  adjective
• transmissibility
  noun
• pretransmission
  noun
• transmissively
  adverb
• untransmissive
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of transmission

1605–15; < Latin trānsmissiōn- (stem of trānsmissiō ) a sending across, equivalent to trānsmiss ( us ) (past participle of trānsmittere to send across) + -iōn- -ion. See trans-, mission

Explanation

Transmission is the act of transferring something from one spot to another, like a radio or TV broadcast, or a disease going from one person to another. The noun transmission comes from the Latin word transmissio, which means “sending over or across, passage.” The transmission of a message is the delivery of the message. Transmission can also be a communication sent out by radio or television, while the transmission of a disease is the passing of that virus or bacteria between people. A vehicle’s transmission is the part of the engine that uses the energy created by the burning fuel to make the axle turn.

Example Sentences

An Ebola burial team was reportedly attacked this week in South Kivu province, forcing responders to abandon a coffin and raising fears of further transmission.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Researchers note the current and future risk of transmission remains low except during summer in the Central Valley and Southern California.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026

The strategy wasn’t simply to keep Ebola out of the U.S. but to stop transmission at the source.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026

Achieving that milestone could dramatically reshape electronics, communications systems, and power transmission technologies.

From Science Daily • May 29, 2026

Ernie and Merle became steadily more enthralled with electronics, especially the emerging technology of radio transmission.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• broadcast
• communication
• delivery
• gearbox