shortwave

American

[shawrt-weyv] / ˈʃɔrtˈweɪv /

noun

Electricity. a radio wave shorter than that used in AM broadcasting, corresponding to frequencies of over 1600 kilohertz: used for long-distance reception or transmission.
shortwave radio.
Physics. a wave of electromagnetic radiation equal in length to, or shorter than, the wavelength of visible light.

adjective

of, relating to, or using shortwaves.

verb (used with or without object)

shortwaved, shortwaving

to transmit by shortwaves.

shortwave Scientific

/ shôrt′wāv′ /

A radio wave with a frequency between 5.9 megahertz and 26.1 megahertz. Shortwaves broadcast from the Earth's surface are reflected by the upper atmosphere and can travel great distances around the planet. The shortwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum is used for amateur radio communications.

Etymology

Origin of shortwave

First recorded in 1900–05; short + wave

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.

See Examples For:

shortwave shortwaving

Amsterdam-based nonprofit Radio Zamaneh began shortwave broadcasts during the January protests, sending a nightly Farsi news programme from 11:00 pm Tehran time.

From Barron's ● Mar. 13, 2026

Many are small Chinese tankers that make their presence and origin known to the Revolutionary Guard through loudspeakers and shortwave radio.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026

Within days of the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Feb. 28, cryptic messages were broadcast globally on a new shortwave radio frequency.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 10, 2026

But her exposure to the Arctic territory began decades ago, she said, when she would hear Greenlandic Inuit songs as a child through her grandmother's shortwave radio.

From BBC ● Feb. 6, 2026

In early 1941, when Gerhard Kunkel returned from war service in France, he brought home a broken shortwave radio and gave it to Helmuth Hübener, his younger half-brother, who lived with his grandparents in Hamburg.

From "Hitler Youth: Growing Up in Hitler's Shadow" by Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Last week the Commission issued regulations which put a new complexion on U. S. shortwaving.

From Time Magazine Archive

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