bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

-ˌwitth

1

: a range within a band of wavelengths, frequencies, or energies

especially : a range of radio frequencies which is occupied by a modulated carrier wave, which is assigned to a service, or over which a device can operate

2

: the capacity for data transfer of an electronic communications system

Graphics consume more bandwidth than text does.

especially : the maximum data transfer rate of such a system

a bandwidth of 100 megabits per second

3

: the emotional or mental capacity necessary to do or consider something

I don't have the bandwidth to do it all myself, and I feel like a failure because I'm not living up to my own ideals.

—Frances Lefkowitz

Examples of bandwidth in a Sentence

The modem has a bandwidth of 56 kilobits per second.

Graphics use more bandwidth than text does.

Recent Examples on the Web

That extra bandwidth also enabled the Arc B570 to pull ahead at 4K and again outperform its competitors. —PCMAG, 25 Jan. 2025

Paying him upwards of $20 million a year would limit their bandwidth at other positions, but his presence would be a boon for a Vikings team that has not had an inside force in years. —Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025

Although the station doesn't have enough bandwidth yet to broadcast to western Williamson County on the radio, Schwertner said, people can use the free mobile app to pick up the station from anywhere. —Claire Osborn, Austin American-Statesman, 23 Dec. 2024

The math gives us an effective bandwidth of 960GB/s between the GPU die and the memory. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PCMAG, 9 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1913, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bandwidth

noun

band·​width ˈband-ˌwidth 

1

: a range of frequencies

2

: the capacity for or rate of data transfer

a high bandwidth Internet connection