codec

noun

co·​dec ˈkō-ˌdek 

: a device or software system that can digitize and often compress an audio or video signal for transmission (as over a telephone line) and convert an incoming signal to audio or video for reception

To permit satellite communication through such a compact antenna, an electronic device called a voice coder-decoder—or codec—translates speech into a digital signal.

—Discover

Examples of codec in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

High-resolution codecs like aptX Adaptive and Lossless are supported natively, providing CD-quality sound without wires. — Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026

Since my phone supports LDAC, the headphones automatically opted for this codec. — Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 10 Aug. 2026

Android users can also take advantage of LDAC for higher-resolution audio, though the codec isn’t natively supported on iPhones. — Sheena Vasani, The Verge, 15 July 2026

The iPhone 17 Pro features three 48-megapixel Fusion cameras, offering the equivalent of eight lenses, and pro-level video features like Apple Log 2 (which can capture a wider color gamut in ProRes or HEVC codecs). — Todd Spangler, Variety, 21 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

coder + decoder

First Known Use

1967, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for codec

• aztec
• breakneck
• exec
• mixtec
• paycheck
• pinchbeck
• recheck
• redneck
• toltec
• beck
• breck
• check