transmitter
transmitter — noun
1. a device that sends out radio waves or electronic signals so that sound, images,
a device that sends out radio waves or electronic signals so that sound, images, or data can be received by others, often across long distances
The radio transmitter on the hill sends news programmes to listeners across the whole region.
collocation: radio transmitter / television transmitter
Nicholas climbed the tower to repair the transmitter after the storm damaged its antenna.
A small transmitter in the car sends traffic updates to a display on the dashboard.
The television transmitter stopped working, so thousands of homes lost their picture for several hours.
Engineers installed a more powerful transmitter at the station to improve signal quality in nearby towns.
- broadcaster
refers to the person or organization that operates the transmitter, not the device itself; e.g. 'a radio broadcaster' means the station, not the equipment
- sender
a more general term for any person or device that sends something; less technical than transmitter
- beacon
a type of transmitter that sends a continuous or regular signal, often for navigation or warning purposes
- receiver
a device that captures signals sent by a transmitter and converts them into sound, images, or data
用法筆記
The transmitter sends signals out; the receiver picks them up. In everyday use, transmitter most often refers to radio or television broadcast equipment, though it can also apply to any device that emits a signal (e.g. a Wi‑Fi router or a walkie‑talkie).
常見錯誤
2. a person, animal, or thing that carries something — such as information, a disea
a person, animal, or thing that carries something — such as information, a disease, a tradition, or an electrical signal — from one place, group, or individual to another
Mira is known as a reliable transmitter of information between the two departments.
pattern: transmitter + of + [thing transmitted]
The mosquito acts as a dangerous transmitter of malaria in many tropical countries.
The optic nerve serves as a transmitter of visual signals from the eye to the brain.
Yumi became a transmitter of cultural traditions, teaching her grandchildren the songs her grandmother had taught her.
The cable acts as a transmitter of electrical power from the solar panels to the battery.
- carrier
most common for biological or disease contexts (e.g. 'a carrier of the virus'); also used for signals and goods
- messenger
specifically a person who delivers spoken or written messages; more natural for human agents than 'transmitter'
- conduit
a channel or pipe through which something passes; metaphorically used for a person or system that transmits ideas or information
- vector
a technical term in biology and epidemiology for an organism that transmits a pathogen; not used for people or information
- receiver
the person or device that receives what is transmitted; e.g. the recipient of a message or the target of a signal
文法句型
transmitter + of + noun phrase
用法筆記
This sense is less common in everyday speech than sense 1 (BROADCAST EQUIPMENT). It appears most often in technical, medical, or academic writing. When referring to a person, 'messenger' or 'go‑between' is usually more natural in conversation.