subcarrier

American

[suhb-kar-ee-er] / sʌbˈkær i ər /

Or sub-carrier

noun

Radio.

a carrier wave used to modify or modulate another carrier wave.

subcarrier British

/ ˈsʌbˌkærɪə /

noun

a subsidiary carrier wave that is modulated with information and applied as modulation to a main carrier wave that is already modulated with other information

"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

Etymology

Origin of subcarrier

First recorded in 1950–55; sub- + carrier

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.

"All Alaska mainline and subcarrier flights ground stopped," the FAA said.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2024

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