broadband

American  

[brawd-band] / ˈbrɔdˌbænd /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or responsive to a continuous, wide range of frequencies.

2. relating to or denoting a type of high-speed data transmission in which the bandwidth is shared by more than one simultaneous signal.

   Broadband internet technologies are superior to dial-up connections for streaming video.

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noun

1. broadband transmission.

2. a broadband internet connection.

broadband British  

/ ˈbrɔːdˌbænd /

noun

1. a transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections See also baseband

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broadband Cultural  

1. In communications technology, the ability to send many signals over a single cable or other such communication medium. Broadband technology allows enormous amounts of data, such as that for movie videos, to be transferred over limited information infrastructure.

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Etymology

Origin of broadband

First recorded in 1900–05; broad + band ²

Explanation

Broadband describes a system of sending a lot of data or information very quickly, particularly a speedy internet connection. Most people with broadband internet are able to stream movies instantly. Most Americans have broadband internet access today, a statistic that's changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Before broadband came to be nearly synonymous with the internet, it was used for other telecommunications, like radio transmissions and phone networks. The term refers to a large capacity for sending data — in other words, a broad bandwidth. That means it moves with exceptional speed, and that multiple channels of information can be sent at the same time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

broadband

By late 2025, it had more than a billion broadband subscribers, external.

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

He said Nepal also needed a mobile air traffic control system and broadband seismometers to monitor ground vibrations.

From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026

With the addition of Cox homes, the Stamford, Conn.-based cable company now boasts 35 million customers — making it the nation’s largest broadband internet and cable television provider.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

The trust, which owns and operates the passive fiber network infrastructure for Singapore’s broadband network, posted 1Q revenue and Ebitda that was in line with consensus estimates, but profit fell short, analyst Luis Hilado says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

Where the local broadband did get installed was in office buildings, which were already pretty well served by the old companies.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman