Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A device that transmits and receives data using a modulated carrier wave. Modems are used to establish network and Internet connections.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun An electronic device that converts electronic signals into sound waves, and sound waves into electronic signals, used to transmit information between computers by the use of ordinary telephone lines; also called modulator-demodulator. The speed of transmission of information by a modem is usually measured in units of baud, equivalent to bits per second.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A device that encodes digital computer signals into analog/analogue telephone signals and vice versa and allows computers to communicate over a phone line.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (from a combination of MOdulate and DEModulate) electronic equipment consisting of a device used to connect computers by a telephone line

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[mo(dulator) + dem(odulator).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Short for modulator-demodulator.

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Examples

  • With a Comcast user interface called Grand Slam, Eliason can enter the phone number to check whether PrinceValiant's modem is functioning, But before the exploration begins, PrinceValiant tweets that his service is working again.

    A Day In The Life Of Comcast's Frank Eliason - The Consumerist 2009

  • The modem is $20 with a two-year contract commitment, so the difference is $110.

    T-Mobile Chips Away at Tyranny of Cell Contracts « PubliCola 2010

  • I am hoping that the DSL modem is going to protect the computer probably wishful thinking.

    voltage 2008

  • Data plans suck though as I am paying $5 for only 5Mb on my mobile but if you want full wireless broadband to your PC via a USB modem from the same company, you can get 5Gb for $39 – go figure.

    Do You Browse with Your Phone? | Lifehacker Australia 2008

  • They also determined that our DSL modem is out of date, and overnighted us a new modem to arrive tomorrow.

    Success Stories: Verizon's DSL Is No Longer "Full" - The Consumerist 2008

  • On my wireless service I have discovered, however that I have 54 Mbps in the room in which the modem is located and the two adjoining rooms, but it drops to 24 Mbps in the next room and even lower in the next two rooms.

    TELMEX 2007

  • So, after another call to Comcast, they seem to think that my modem is going bad.

    May 14th, 2007 ianmcin 2007

  • Palm may also not be aware, but a laptop using a treo as a modem is really great but the mobile carriers are preventing that from happening.

    Palm Foleo, meh. : #comments 2007

  • For example, the prices you quoted from the Verizon site require one to have a "qualified voice package" from Verizon and sign up for a year of service (and the modem is provided free).

    no internet 2006

  • He claims that my modem is hitting the network, so it's a problem on my end.

    My Morning, As Directed By The Marquis de Sade dravengodvamp 2006

Comments

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  • using a telephone line to connex computers

    October 23, 2010