transceiver
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of transceiver
First recorded in 1935–40; trans(mitter) + (re)ceiver
Explanation
A transceiver is a device that both transmits and receives signals within a single unit. Transceivers are core components in things like radios, cell phones, and Wi-Fi routers, which simultaneously send and pull in data. Traditionally, communication required two separate machines: a transmitter to send data, and a receiver to catch it. A transceiver combines these two functions into one piece of equipment, with shared internal circuitry to handle both functions. While best known for use in radios, walkie-talkies, and mobile phones, transceivers are also used in things like fiber-optic cables, which send and receive pulses of light. By performing both tasks, a transceiver turns a one-way broadcast into a two-way conversation.
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.
LightCounting’s reason is that almost every transceiver component is now scarce and customers have started double ordering, which inflates backlogs.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
The company shipped its first transceiver from its 6-inch fab, which should improve gross margins compared to earlier-generation transceivers, Needham reported in a research note Wednesday.
From Barron's ● May 13, 2026
As one of China’s leading optical transceiver and component suppliers, the company is well supported by its integrated device manufacturer model amid component shortages, the analyst says.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
The statistics are sobering; if you're carrying a transceiver there is a 70% chance you'll survive an avalanche, according to emergency crews.
From BBC ● Mar. 14, 2026
Werner runs the needle through the frequencies, switches bands, retunes the transceiver again, scouring the static.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
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.
