radio-

¹ American  

1. a combining form with the meanings “dealing with radiant energy” (radiometer ), “employing or dealing with radio waves” (radioacoustics; radiolocation; radiotelephone ), “emitting rays as a result of the breakup of atomic nuclei” (radioactive; radiocarbon ), “characterized by, employing or dealing with such rays” (radiography; radiopaque; radiotherapy ).

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radio ² American  

[rey-dee-oh] / ˈreɪ diˌoʊ /

noun

plural

radios

1. wireless telegraphy or telephony.

   speeches broadcast by radio.

2. an apparatus for receiving or transmitting radio broadcasts.

3. a message transmitted by radio.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, used in, or sent by radio.

2. pertaining to or employing radiations, as of electrical energy.

verb (used with object)

radioed, radioing

1. to transmit (a message, music, etc.) by radio.

2. to send a message to (a person) by radio.

verb (used without object)

radioed, radioing

1. to transmit a message, music, etc., by radio.

radio ¹ British  

/ ˈreɪdɪəʊ /

noun

1. the use of electromagnetic waves, lying in the radio-frequency range, for broadcasting, two-way communications, etc

2. Also called (esp Brit): wireless.  an electronic device designed to receive, demodulate, and amplify radio signals from sound broadcasting stations, etc

3. a similar device permitting both transmission and reception of radio signals for two-way communications

4. the broadcasting, content, etc, of sound radio programmes

   he thinks radio is poor these days

5. 1. the occupation or profession concerned with any aspect of the broadcasting of sound radio programmes

      he's in radio

   2. (modifier) relating to, produced for, or transmitted by sound radio

      radio drama

6. short for radiotelegraph radiotelegraphy radiotelephone

7. (modifier)

   1. of, relating to, employed in, or sent by radio signals

      a radio station

   2. of, concerned with, using, or operated by radio frequencies

      radio spectrum

8. (modifier) (of a motor vehicle) equipped with a radio for communication

   radio car

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verb

1. to transmit (a message) to (a person, radio station, etc) by means of radio waves

radio- ² British  

combining form

1. denoting radio, broadcasting, or radio frequency

   radiogram

2. indicating radioactivity or radiation

   radiochemistry

   radiolucent

3. indicating a radioactive isotope or substance

   radioactinium

   radiothorium

   radioelement

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radio Scientific  

/ rā′dē-ō /

1. The equipment used to generate, alter, transmit, and receive radio waves so that they carry information.

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1. Relating to or involving the emission of radio waves.

Other Word Forms

• preradio adjective

Etymology

Origin of radio-¹

< French, combining form representing Latin radius beam, ray, radius

Origin of radio¹

1910–15; shortening of radiotelegraph or radiotelegraphy

Example Sentences

Before Billboard charts, before radio, before recorded sound itself, America still had “hit songs.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Daily life in the Japanese jail was strict, with a regimented routine of sleep, meals and listening to the radio.

From BBC

The walls are covered, top to bottom, with shelves of all sizes, crowded with what appear to be radios, clocks, tubes, small motors, and every mechanical device you could imagine— and some you couldn’t.

From Literature

In Santa Cruz, researchers and conservationists also deployed ultralight radio tags to better understand how butterflies move between overwintering groves, information that could help improve how overwintering habitat is managed.

From Los Angeles Times

Before joining Dow Jones, she worked as an intern at the Spanish newspaper El Pais and was the producer and co-host of a local radio program.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• transmission
• wireless