carrier wave

Meaning

1. A wave that can be modulated, either in amplitude, frequency, or phase, to carry or transmit images, music, speech, or other signals.
2. (obsolete) Synonym of soliton (“a self-reinforcing pulse or travelling wave caused by any non-linear effect”).

Synonyms

carrier

CW

carrier signal

cw

signal carrier

Translations

porteuse

Trägerwelle

draaggolf

onda portadora

Trägerschwingung

portadora

onde porteuse

señal de portadora

الموجة الحاملة

taşıyıcı dalga

إشارة الموجة الحاملة

ona portadora

Träger

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkæ.ɹɪ.ə weɪv/

Etymology

From carrier + wave. Sense 2 (“soliton”) was coined by the Scottish civil engineer, naval architect, and shipbuilder John Scott Russell (1808–1882): see the quotations.