Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

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.

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

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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).

modem Cultural  

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

Etymology

Origin of modem

mo(dulator) - dem(odulator)

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“In-housing more chip design is the most obvious lever for Apple to pull with respect to product gross margins and we think the 5G modem chip is the most likely candidate,” wrote Daryanani.

From Barron's

“In-housing more chip design is the most obvious lever for Apple to pull with respect to product gross margins and we think the 5G modem chip is the most likely candidate,” wrote Daryanani.

From Barron's

A BBS was hosted on a personal computer, and other computers could dial in to the BBS using a modem and a terminal software program, allowing users to exchange messages, documents and software.

From Salon

Meanwhile, Reitzes said that Qualcomm’s stock multiple has been negatively impacted by concerns over the loss of its modem business with Apple.

From MarketWatch

From what I saw, I’m convinced agentic and AI browsers are the future, but the current iteration feels a bit like when I first tried America Online to use the internet over dial-up modems.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.