What does transmitter mean?
A transmitter is something that sends a signal or message to another place or to an audience. In its most common technical sense, it is a device or system that converts sound, images, data, or other information into signals that can travel through the air, through wires, or through other media. Its counterpart is the receiver, which receives and decodes those signals. In broadcasting, the word can also refer to a radio or television station, or to the organization responsible for transmitting news, entertainment, or public information. Transmitter is therefore both a practical engineering term and a broader word for a source of communication. The related verb transmit and noun transmission are especially common in discussions of radio, telecommunications, biology, and the movement or sharing of information across distances.
nounA transmitter is a device or system that sends signals, such as radio, television, or communications signals, to a receiver. By extension, it can refer to a person or facility that broadcasts messages or content.
- A device or system that converts information, energy, or a signal into a form that can be sent to a receiver.
- A person, organization, or facility that broadcasts messages or content, especially by radio or television.
"The radio transmitter on the hill sends a clear signal across the valley."
"The transmitter converts the microphone's signal into an electromagnetic wave."
"The transmitter was widely praised for making the election coverage accessible across the country."
The plural is used for multiple sending devices, facilities, or broadcasting organizations.
"The transmitters were positioned on the hills to improve coverage across the region."
A transmitter is the broadcasting equivalent of a spokesperson—except it can reach millions without being heard.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does transmitter come from?
Transmitter was formed in English by adding the agent suffix -er to transmit, producing a word for a person or device that sends signals or information. Transmit comes from Latin transmittere, from trans- meaning 'across' and mittere meaning 'to send'. The same Latin root underlies transmission and transmissible, while transmit itself remains the corresponding English verb.
Related word forms
How transmitter is actually used
The word is especially common in technical and telecommunications contexts. In broadcasting and journalism, it can also refer to the institution or facility responsible for sending out a message or program.
Easily confused with transmitter
A transmitter sends signals, whereas a transceiver can both transmit and receive them.