extraordinary wave
noun Radio.
(of the two waves into which a radio wave is divided in the ionosphere under the influence of the earth's magnetic field) the wave with characteristics different from those that the undivided wave would have exhibited in the absence of the magnetic field.
RELATED CONTENT
Extraordinary Ways To Maintain Your Virtue
Read more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE
Why Are We Calling Everything A “Wave”?
Why have so many waves found their way into our cultural lexicon in recent years? In this article, the first in the column Mincing Metaphors, we unpack this oceanic metaphor to better understand what it means and why it’s proving so useful right now.
READ MORE
Compare ordinary wave.
Origin of extraordinary wave
First recorded in 1880–85
Also called X-wave.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019