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

In September, reports surfaced that the world's leading maker of high-bandwidth memory, SK Hynix, could team up with Intel in Ohio to lease some foundry space to make memory chips at the new site. — Katie Tarasov, CNBC, 21 Oct. 2026

Meta squeezes two independent light-guiding cores into a single standard glass strand to double its bandwidth. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 19 Oct. 2026

Supporting all that processing power are 16GB of memory and a solid 512GB solid-state drive, which offers plenty of bandwidth for everyday users, students, and remote workers. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 19 Oct. 2026

These changes would reduce costs, free up management bandwidth and improve IPO formation incentives. — Jeff Jacobs, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1913, 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