radio wave

American  

noun

Electricity.

1. an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength between 1 millimeter and 30,000 meters, or a frequency between 10 kilohertz and 300,000 megahertz.

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radio wave British  

noun

1. an electromagnetic wave of radio frequency

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radio wave Scientific  

1. A very low frequency electromagnetic wave (from roughly 30 kilohertz to 100 gigahertz). Radio waves are used for the transmission of radio and television signals; the microwaves used in radar and microwave ovens are also radio waves. Many celestial objects, such as pulsars, emit radio waves.

2. See more at electromagnetic spectrum

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Etymology

Origin of radio wave

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

As the radio waves cross interstellar space, however, they do not travel unimpeded.

From Science Daily

Frequency combs, which earned a Nobel Prize in 2005, can be imagined as an incredibly accurate ruler made not from a solid material, but from light or radio waves.

From Science Daily

Although it relies on the same magnetic fields and radio waves as standard MRI, 1H-MRS focuses on chemical composition rather than producing images.

From Science Daily

Because radio waves can penetrate dust and gas that obscure visible light, radio telescopes can observe galaxies invisible to optical instruments.

From Science Daily

The team then monitored these ticks using two different techniques; one measured extremely small electric currents, while the other used radio waves to detect subtle changes in the system.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• microwave