broadband

American  

[brawd-band] / ˈbrɔdˌbænd /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or responsive to a continuous, wide range of frequencies.

2. relating to or denoting a type of high-speed data transmission in which the bandwidth is shared by more than one simultaneous signal.

   Broadband internet technologies are superior to dial-up connections for streaming video.

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noun

1. broadband transmission.

2. a broadband internet connection.

broadband British  

/ ˈbrɔːdˌbænd /

noun

1. a transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies that enables messages to be sent simultaneously, used in fast internet connections See also baseband

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broadband Cultural  

1. In communications technology, the ability to send many signals over a single cable or other such communication medium. Broadband technology allows enormous amounts of data, such as that for movie videos, to be transferred over limited information infrastructure.

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Etymology

Origin of broadband

First recorded in 1900–05; broad + band ²

Explanation

Broadband describes a system of sending a lot of data or information very quickly, particularly a speedy internet connection. Most people with broadband internet are able to stream movies instantly. Most Americans have broadband internet access today, a statistic that's changed dramatically over the past 25 years. Before broadband came to be nearly synonymous with the internet, it was used for other telecommunications, like radio transmissions and phone networks. The term refers to a large capacity for sending data — in other words, a broad bandwidth. That means it moves with exceptional speed, and that multiple channels of information can be sent at the same time.

Example Sentences

Amazon appears to be trying to build its own space-based broadband network —a field currently dominated by Elon Musk’s Starlink.

From Barron's • Apr. 17, 2026

Roku says it surpassed 100 million streaming households worldwide, reporting that more than half of U.S. broadband households use Roku streaming devices.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

SpaceX has launched more than 11,000 satellites into low-Earth-orbit, and the company’s space-based broadband business, Starlink, has amassed more than 10 million customers.

From Barron's • Apr. 15, 2026

SpaceX’s regular Falcon 9 launches have helped the company blanket the sky with roughly 10,000 Starlink satellites, enabling broadband connections even in remote and war-torn regions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

Where the local broadband did get installed was in office buildings, which were already pretty well served by the old companies.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman