shortwave

Syllables: short·waveUK/ˈʃɔːtweɪv//ˈʃoɹtˌweɪv/

shortwave noun: an electromagnetic wave with a relatively short wavelength; specifically, one with a wavelength generally between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz.

Image: Meineemailadresse, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun

shortwave (plural shortwaves)

An electromagnetic wave with a relatively short wavelength; specifically, one with a wavelength generally between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz.
- Shortwaves are longer than microwaves.
Synonyms:

decameter wave, SW
1. Downward radiation in the shortwave (noun sense 1) frequency range which enters the Earth's atmosphere.
  - Shortwave fadeout data for the period 1955 through 1969 were analyzed and correlated with solar flare data for the same period. […] Some doubt is cast on the quality of the shortwave fadeout data during the early part of the period considered.1973 June 28, Richard G. Hendl, Robert A. Skrivanek, “Abstract”, in Statistical Analysis of Shortwave Fadeout Occurrence for the Years 1955 to 1969 (Environmental Research Papers; no. 452), L. G....
  - We often think of these surface radiative fluxes in terms of the two broad spectral bands that we have discussed before: shortwave fluxes and longwave fluxes. […] Blue parts of the shortwave radiance are more diffuse than are the red parts of that spectral band.1995 December, B. R. Barkstrom [et al.], “Empirical Estimates of Shortwave and Longwave Surface Radiation Budget involving CERES Measurements (Subsystem 4.6.0)”, in Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant...
2. A waveband comprising radio waves in the shortwave (noun sense 1) frequency range, especially when used in broadcasting.
  - Many stations broadcast on shortwaves.
  - The fun of listening to shortwave while in a car or boat is diminished by spark-plug noise created while the engine is running.1972, Len Buckwalter, 99 Ways to Improve Your Shortwave Listening, Indianapolis, Ind.: H. W. Sams, →ISBN, page 90
3. In full shortwave radio: a radio which is able to receive radio waves in the shortwave (noun sense 1) waveband.
  - Finally in all the crackle and noise of the short-wave one of our men made contact with another boat.1941, John Steinbeck, chapter I, in The Log from the Sea of Cortez […], New York, N.Y.: The Viking Press, published 1951, →OCLC, page 7

Adjective

shortwave (not comparable)

Of a radio wave: having a wavelength of between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz.
Of radio equipment: capable of receiving or transmitting radio signals at wavelengths in the above range.

Adverb

shortwave (not comparable)

Using radio waves having wavelengths of between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to frequencies between 3 and 30 megahertz.

shortwave meaning in Kannada, Gujarati, Malay and Thai

shortwave in Kannada

ಕಿತ್ತಲೆ

shortwave in Gujarati

electromagnetic wave with a relatively short wavelength; one with a wavelength generally between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz: લઘુ તરંગ laghu taraṅg

shortwave in Malay

of a radio wave: having a wavelength of between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz: gelombang pendek

shortwave in Thai

electromagnetic wave with a relatively short wavelength; one with a wavelength generally between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz: คลื่นสั้น klʉ̂ʉn-sân
of a radio wave: having a wavelength of between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz: คลื่นสั้น klʉ̂ʉn-sân

More languagesFewer languages

shortwave in Vietnamese: sóng ngắn
shortwave in Myanmar: လှိုင်းတို hluing:tui

Synonyms of shortwave

decameter wave
SW

Forms of shortwave

plural	shortwaves
alternative form	short-wave
alternative form	short wave

Origin of shortwave

The noun is derived from short (adjective) + wave (noun). The adjective is from an attributive use of the noun. The adverb is also derived from the noun.

Words formed from shortwave

ultrashortwave

Questions about shortwave

What does shortwave mean?: Shortwave means an electromagnetic wave with a relatively short wavelength; specifically, one with a wavelength generally between 10 and 100 metres, corresponding to a frequency between 3 and 30 megahertz.
What is shortwave in Kannada?: Shortwave in Kannada is ಕಿತ್ತಲೆ. See Shortwave meaning in Kannada.
What part of speech is shortwave?: Shortwave can be a noun, an adjective or an adverb.
How do you pronounce shortwave?: Shortwave is pronounced /ˈʃɔːtweɪv/ (UK).
What is the plural of shortwave?: The plural of shortwave is shortwaves.

Words near shortwave in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: shortwave (page history and authors); shortwave (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-shortwave.wav.

Cite this entry: “shortwave.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/shortwave. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.