base station

noun

: a transmitter that relays a wireless signal (as from a telephone line or Internet connection) to a smaller handheld device usually using radio frequencies
Cordless telephones come in two parts, a base station and a handset, that communicate by radio waves.Peter Kerr, New York Times, 12 Feb. 1983
The tablet, which weighs less than 3 pounds, ranges 150 feet from its base station and receives data at speeds of 1.5 megabytes per second with DSL or broadband cable service.Popular Science, January 2001

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of base station was in 1920

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near base station

Cite this Entry

“Base station.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/base%20station. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!