shortwave

See also: short-wave and short wave

English

Alternative forms

• short-wave

Etymology

short +‎ wave

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɔːtˌweɪv/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈʃoɹtˌweɪv/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Adjective

shortwave (not comparable)

1. (of radio waves) Having a wavelength of approximately 10 to 100 meters.
2. (of radio equipment) Capable of transmitting or receiving signals at such a wavelength.

Derived terms

• SW

Translations

of radio waves

• Belarusian: караткахва́левы (karatkaxváljevy)
• Catalan: ona curta f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 短波 (zh) (duǎnbō)

• Danish: kortbølge
• Dutch: kortegolf c
• Finnish: lyhytaaltoinen
• French: onde courte (fr) f
• Georgian: მოკლეტალღიანი (moḳleṭalɣiani), მოკლეტალღური (moḳleṭalɣuri)
• German: kurzwellig (de)
• Italian: onde corte f pl
• Japanese: 短波 (ja) (たんぱ, tanpa)
• Korean: 단파 (ko) (danpa)
• Latvian: īsviļņi m pl, īsie viļņi m pl
• Malay: gelombang pendek
• Romanian: undă scurtă (ro) f
• Russian: коротковолно́вый (ru) (korotkovolnóvyj)
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can
• Swedish: kortvågig
• Thai: คลื่นสั้น (th) (klʉ̂ʉn-sân)
• Ukrainian: короткохвильови́й (korotkoxvylʹovýj)
• Vietnamese: sóng ngắn

of radio equipment

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: please add this translation if you can

• Finnish: lyhytaalto-
• Italian: onda corta f
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can
• Ukrainian: короткохвильови́й (korotkoxvylʹovýj)

See also

• microwave, mediumwave, longwave, radio wave
• radio frequency, HF, VHF, UHF, SHF

Noun

shortwave (plural shortwaves)

1. (physics) An electromagnetic wave having a wavelength between approximately 10 and 100 meters, corresponding to frequencies between 3 and 30 MHz.

   Shortwaves are longer than microwaves.

2. (colloquial, usually in the plural) Any frequency in this range, especially when used in broadcasting.
   • 1972, Len Buckwalter, 99 Ways to Improve Your Shortwave Listening, page 90:

     The fun of listening to shortwave while in a car or boat is diminished by spark-plug noise created while the engine is running.

   Many stations broadcast on shortwaves.

3. (meteorology) Downward radiation entering the earth's atmosphere that is in the shortwave frequency range.
   • 1973, Richard G. Hendl, Statistical Analysis of Shortwave Fadeout Occurrence for the Years 1955 to 1969:

     Some doubt is cast on the quality of the shortwave fadeout data during the early part of the period considered.

   • 1995, Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) Algorithm Theoretical Basis Document., page 214:

     A concise review is presented for the algorithm that has been tentatively selected to produce simulated net shortwave surface fluxes from measured TOA radiances.

   • 1996, 1986 Daily Daylight Cloud Fraction, Shortwave Surface Radiation, and Transmittance for 502 Sites, page 1:

     Shortwave radiative fluxes that reach the earth's surface are key factors that influence atmospheric and oceanic circulations as well as surface climate.

Synonyms

• (wave): decameter wave
• (frequency): high frequency, HF

Translations

wave

• Burmese: လှိုင်းတို (my) (hluing:tui)
• Catalan: ona curta f
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 短波 (dyun² bo¹)

  Hokkien: 短波 (tér-pho / té-pho / toán-pho)

  Mandarin: 短波 (zh) (duǎnbō)

• Danish: kortbølge c
• Dutch: kortegolf c
• Finnish: lyhytaalto
• French: onde courte (fr) f
• German: Kurzwelle (de) f
• Gujarati: લઘુ તરંગ (laghu taraṅg)
• Italian: onda corta f
• Japanese: 短波 (ja) (たんぱ, tanpa)
• Korean: 단파(短波) (ko) (danpa)
• Latvian: īsviļņi m pl, īsie viļņi m pl
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: kortbølge m or f

  Nynorsk: kortbølgje f

• Portuguese: onda curta f
• Romanian: undă scurtă (ro) f
• Spanish: onda corta f
• Swedish: kortvåg (sv) c
• Thai: คลื่นสั้น (th) (klʉ̂ʉn-sân)

frequency

• Finnish: lyhytaallot pl