modem
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Electronic equipment made up of a device used to connect computers by a telephone line.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
mohduhmSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈmoʊdəm
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
computingfrom a combination of MOdulate and DEModulate
Electronic equipment consisting of a device used to connect computers by a telephone line
computing
A device that encodes digital computer signals into analog telephone signals and vice versa, allowing computers to communicate over a phone line.
verb
To transmit by modem.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: (from a combination of MOdulate and DEModulate) electronic equipment consisting of a device used to connect computers by a telephone line
Used this way, modem is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a computing use: it carries a fixed technical meaning inside software and systems work.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technology
- Technical/specialist writing
- Business/professional
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use modem
- “Our internet modem needed to be reset to get the connection working again.”
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.