transponder
noun
Did you know?
This word was coined during World War II by simply joining pieces of the words transmitter and responder. Transponders are basic to modern aviation and communications satellites, and they're finding new uses in fields such as medicine as well. But they're now also part of everyday life. The "E-ZPass" that lets you drive right through turnpike tollbooths is a transponder, and the car you're driving may not even start unless it recognizes the signal from your personal key's transponder. In a big crowded foot race, you may carry a tiny transponder on your shoe that records when you cross both the starting line and the finish line.
Examples of transponder in a Sentence
David Goldman,
CNN Money,
26 June 2026
The warning came after a key naval information group had proposed alternative shipping corridors on Saturday, asking shipowners to consider transiting the strait along the southern route with their transponder signals on.
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Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
25 June 2026
Residents can also use these apps instead of clickers or transponders to open the gate for themselves or summon an elevator.
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Lois K. Solomon,
Sun Sentinel,
25 June 2026
Growing numbers of ships — many of which had gone dark in order to quietly traverse the strait — are now navigating the waterway with their transponders on, and maritime insurers are slashing their rates, as confidence builds after last week’s interim truce between Washington and Tehran.
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Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for transponder
Cite this Entry
“Transponder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transponder. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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