bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

-ˌwitth

1

: a range within a band of wavelengths, frequencies, or energies

especially : a range of radio frequencies which is occupied by a modulated carrier wave, which is assigned to a service, or over which a device can operate

2

: the capacity for data transfer of an electronic communications system

Graphics consume more bandwidth than text does.

especially : the maximum data transfer rate of such a system

a bandwidth of 100 megabits per second

3

: the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something

I don't have the bandwidth to do it all myself, and I feel like a failure because I'm not living up to my own ideals.

—Frances Lefkowitz

Examples of bandwidth in a Sentence

The modem has a bandwidth of 56 kilobits per second.

Graphics use more bandwidth than text does.

Recent Examples on the Web

The overall maximum bandwidth of the L1 cache has doubled, as has the bandwidth to the floating-point unit (FPU) in each processor core. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PCMAG, 15 July 2024

In recent months, a significant swath of journalistic bandwidth has been devoted to this potentially dystopian topic. —Lindsey Laughlin, Ars Technica, 10 July 2024

Its bandwidth will be faster than traditional home internet. —Dana Afana, Detroit Free Press, 24 Apr. 2024

Why spend the same bandwidth to stream something as visually complex as an action movie with car chases (lots of motion) and explosions (flashing lights and all that noisy smoke) as much simpler visual fare? —Janko Roettgers, The Verge, 22 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

1

: a range of frequencies

2

: the capacity for or rate of data transfer

a high bandwidth Internet connection