carrier wave

A visual representation of the signal of an AM (amplitude modulation) radio station on the MW (medium wave) band, received on a Sangean ATS909 radio. The vertical line in the centre, artificially coloured red, is the carrier wave at 558 kHz.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈkæ.ɹɪ.ə weɪv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkæ.ɹɪ.ɚ weɪv/, /ˈkɛ-/

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• Hyphenation: car‧ri‧er wave

carrier wave (plural carrier waves)

1. (physics) A wave that can be modulated, either in amplitude, frequency, or phase, to carry or transmit images, music, speech, or other signals.
   • 1885, John Scott Russell, “Part II. The Wave of Translation and the Work It Does as the Carrier Wave of Sound.”, in The Wave of Translation in the Oceans of Water, Air, and Ether, new edition, London: Trübner & Co., […], OCLC 903856066, page 62:

     [M]eans must be taken first to create a series of solitary waves, and then to make these waves act as carrier waves, transporting the sounds from the instrument to the ear at a distance. In other words, the operation carried on in the instrument differs from the operation carried on through the air and from the effect delivered by the carrier wave.

• carrier wave on Wikipedia.Wikipedia