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

The company said that this could potentially expand the connectivity bandwidth in a data center, which could in turn significantly decrease the amount of energy consumed by generative AI applications. —Alex Knapp, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024

But these laments seemed to reach a crescendo during the Biden administration, which was seen as too focused on the United States’ growing rivalry with Beijing and the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East to devote even minimal bandwidth to its southern neighbors. —Brian Winter, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2024

This organization gives us the bandwidth to do our homework, and that’s a privilege that’s going extinct in journalism. —Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 7 Dec. 2024

However, the current 10-Mb bandwidth is a step up from the 7 Mb the initial test satellites managed at the start of the year. —New Atlas, 6 Dec. 2024

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