transmission

noun

trans·​mis·​sion tran(t)s-ˈmi-shən  tranz- 

1

: an act, process, or instance of transmitting

transmission of a nerve impulse across a synapse

2

: the passage of radio waves in the space between transmitting and receiving stations

also : the act or process of transmitting by radio or television

3

: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the driveshaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a live axle

also : the speed-changing gears in such an assembly

4

: something that is transmitted : message

transmissive

tran(t)s-ˈmi-siv 

ˌtranz-

adjective

transmissivity

ˌtran(t)s-(ˌ)mi-ˈsi-və-tē 

ˌtranz-

noun

Did you know?

Since trans- means "across", it's not hard to see the meaning of transmission. Disease transmission occurs when an infection passes from one living thing to another. TV signal transmission can be interrupted by tree leaves, including moving leaves and branches during a storm. Your car's transmission transmits the engine's power to the axle, changing the gears to keep the engine working with maximum efficiency at various speeds.

Examples of transmission in a Sentence

The equipment is used for the transmission of television signals.

We are receiving a live transmission from the scene of the accident.

the transmission of knowledge from one generation to the next

My car has a manual transmission.

This car comes with automatic transmission.

Recent Examples on the Web

Folks in town should feel comforted knowing that their shopping habits, banking details, medical records, retinal gaze tracking, private browsing history, neural-implant transmissions, smart-fridge contents, toilet analytics, and work e-mails are hosted in perpetuity by a family that cares. —Jed Feiman, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

From the time of the foreigners’ first arrival in 1543 until their expulsion in the 1630s, there was a modest amount of cultural transmission. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026

This results in a fully transparent, flexible film that combines both sensing technologies in a single ultra-thin stack while maintaining optical clarity and light transmission. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Apr. 2026

The initiative is providing governments in Malawi and Liberia with technical assistance to support national energy plans, expand transmission networks and improve the reliability and efficiency of distribution systems. —ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle French, from Latin transmission-, transmissio, from transmittere to transmit

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing transmission

• automatic transmission
• community transmission
• manual transmission

Rhymes for transmission

• addition
• admission
• ambition
• attrition
• audition
• clinician
• cognition
• coition
• commission
• condition
• contrition
• dentition

Kids Definition

transmission

noun

trans·​mis·​sion tran(t)s-ˈmish-ən  tranz- 

1

: an act, process, or example of transmitting

2

: the passage of radio waves in the space between transmitting and receiving stations

3

: the gears by which the power is transmitted from the engine to the axle that gives motion to a motor vehicle

4

: something transmitted

Medical Definition

transmission

noun

trans·​mis·​sion tran(t)s-ˈmish-ən  tranz- 

: an act, process, or instance of transmitting

transmission of HIV

synaptic transmission

Legal Definition

transmission

noun

trans·​mis·​sion tranz-ˈmi-shən, trans- 

: an act, process, or instance of transmitting