omnidirectional

adjective

om·​ni·​di·​rec·​tion·​al ˌäm-ni-də-ˈrek-sh(ə-)nəl How to pronounce omnidirectional (audio)
-ˌnī-,
-(ˌ)dī-
: being in or involving all directions
especially : receiving or sending radio waves equally well in all directions
omnidirectional antenna

Examples of omnidirectional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But drones spur adaptation; for example, combatants can counter swarms of cheap drones by using omnidirectional jamming, which discourages swarming. Foreign Affairs, 13 Dec. 2023 The robot consists of an omnidirectional mobile base attached to a repositionable handlebar. IEEE Spectrum, 11 Aug. 2023 The most exciting feature is the omnidirectional wheels, which move easily with your hand. Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 10 July 2023 And in some ways, the middle-size robots have advantages over human players—the robots have omnidirectional sensing, wireless communication, and the ability to consistently place very accurate shots thanks to a mechanical ball-launching system. IEEE Spectrum, 29 June 2023 Among mainstream cosmologists, doubts about the Big Bang largely melted away in the 1960s with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background–an omnidirectional buzz of radiation that makes sense only as a relic from the hot, early era of the universe. Corey S. Powell, Discover Magazine, 15 June 2019 This omnidirectional speaker emits sound in all directions. Hunter Fenollol, Popular Mechanics, 5 May 2023 The results show that Skywalker is able to reach a maximum velocity of 5 meters per second and can turn on a dime—thanks to its omnidirectional wheel and propellers. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Mar. 2023 The mic also comes with four different polar pattern options: cardioid, omnidirectional, stereo, and bidirectional. Tom Price, Popular Mechanics, 14 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'omnidirectional.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of omnidirectional was in 1927

Dictionary Entries Near omnidirectional

Cite this Entry

“Omnidirectional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omnidirectional. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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