transponder

noun

tran·spon·der tran(t)-ˈspän-dər

: a radio or radar set that upon receiving a designated signal emits a radio signal of its own and that is used especially for the detection, identification, and location of objects and in satellites for relaying communications signals

Did you know?

This word was coined during World War II by simply joining pieces of the words transmitter and responder. Transponders are basic to modern aviation and communications satellites, and they're finding new uses in fields such as medicine as well. But they're now also part of everyday life. The "E-ZPass" that lets you drive right through turnpike tollbooths is a transponder, and the car you're driving may not even start unless it recognizes the signal from your personal key's transponder. In a big crowded foot race, you may carry a tiny transponder on your shoe that records when you cross both the starting line and the finish line.

Examples of transponder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The transponder stopped dispatching data at less than 3,000 feet from the runway, the AP added. —

Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 The transponder then stopped transmitting about 2,400 ft. away from the runway, approximately in the middle of the river. —

Chad De Guzman, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025 Nike executives’ travel remains visible through other means, thanks to a transponder technology known as automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B, which was implemented as part of an FAA move to a more precise, next-generation air traffic control system. —

Rob Davis, ProPublica, 4 Oct. 2024 The next day, Rasmussen committed to leasing a transponder on Satcom I. —

Bill Keenan, airmail.news, 17 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for transponder