radio
"wireless transmission with radio waves," 1907, abstracted from
earlier combinations such as radiophone (1881) and radio-telegraphy
(1898), from radio-, comb. form of radiation (q.v.). Use for "radio
receiver" is first attested 1917; sense of "sound broadcasting as a
medium" is from 1922. Wireless remained more widespread until World
War II, when military preference for radio turned the tables. The
verb is attested from 1919.
radio-carbon
1940, from radio- (see radio) + carbon. Radio-carbon dating is
attested from 1949.
radiology
"medical use of X-rays," 1900, from radio- (see radio) + Gk.-based
scientific suffix -logy "study of."
radioactive
1898, from Fr. radio-actif, coined by Pierre and Marie Curie from
radio-, comb. form of L. radius (see radiation) + actif (fem. active)
"active."
wavelength
1850, "distance between peaks of a wave," from wave (n.) + length.
Originally of spectra; radio sense is attested by 1925. Fig. sense of
"mental harmony" is recorded from 1927, on analogy of radio waves.
wireless
1894, as a type of telegraph, from wire (n.) + -less. In ref. to
radio broadcasting, attested from 1903, subsequently superseded by
radio.
receive
c.1300, from O.N.Fr. receivre (O.Fr. recoivre), from L. recipere
"regain, take back," from re- "back" + -cipere, comb. form of capere
"to take" (see capable). Radio and television sense is attested from
1908. Receiver as a telephone apparatus is from 1877; in ref. to a
radio unit it is recorded from 1891; in U.S. football sense it dates
from 1897. Receptive is attested from 1547.
tune (n.)
1387, "a musical sound, a succession of musical notes," unexplained
variant of tone. Meaning "state of being in proper pitch" is from
1440; the verb in this sense is recorded from 1505. Non-musical
meaning "to adjust an organ or receiver" is recorded from 1887.
Verbal phrase tune in in ref. to radio (later also TV) is recorded
from 1913; fig. sense of "become aware" is recorded from 1926. Tune
out "to eliminate radio reception" is recorded from 1908; fig. sense
of "disregard, stop heeding" is from 1928. Tunesmith is a U.S.
colloquial coinage first recorded 1926.
Roxy
cinema chain built by U.S. radio and film entrepreneur Samuel Lionel
Rothafel (1882-1936).
blooper
"blunder," 1947, either from Amer.Eng. baseball slang, "a fly ball
missed by the fielder" (1937) or "radio receiver that interferes with
nearby sets" (1926).
CB
abbreviation of citizens' band (radio), 1959.
a.m.
type of radio wave broadcast; see amplitude.
quasar
1964, from "quas(i-stell)ar radio source" (1963).
wilco
1946, in two-way radio slang, abbreviation and conflation of will
comply.
tuner
"device for varying the frequency of a radio or television," 1909,
from tune.
UHF
1937, abbreviation of ultra-high frequency (1932) in ref. to radio
frequencies in the range of 300 to 3,000 megahertz.
beam
O.E. beam originally "living tree," but by 1000 also "post, ship's
timber," from W.Gmc. *baumoz (cf. O.Fris. bam, Du. boom, Ger. Baum
"tree"), perhaps from PIE verb root *bu- "to grow." Meaning of "ray
of light" developed in O.E., probably because it was used by Bede to
render L. columna lucis, Biblical "pillar of fire." Nautical sense of
"one of the horizontal transverse timbers holding a ship together" is
from 1627, hence "greatest breadth of a ship," and slang broad in the
beam "wide-hipped" (of persons). The verb meaning "emit rays of
light" is from c.1440; sense of "to smile radiantly" is from 1893;
that of "to direct radio transmissions" is from 1927. To be on the
beam (1941) was originally an aviator's term for "to follow the
course indicated by a radio beam." Lewis Carroll may have thought he
was inventing beamish in "Jabberwocky," but it is attested from 1530.
ENIAC
acronym from "electronic numeral integrator and computer," device
built 1946 at University of Pennsylvania by John W. Mauchly Jr., J.
Presper Eckert Jr., and J.G. Brainerd. It cost $400,000, used 18,000
radio tubes, and was housed in a 30-foot-by-50-foot room.
Nielsen
in ref. to popularity ratings of TV and radio programs, 1951, from
Arthur Clarke Nielsen, founder of A.C. Nielsen Co., which evaluates
viewership based on samplings of receiving sets.
tata
"good-bye," 1823, a word first recorded as infant's speech.
Abbreviation T.T.F.N., "ta-ta for now," popularized 1941 by BBC radio
program "ITMA," where it was the characteristic parting of the
cockney cleaning woman character Mrs. Mopp, voiced by Dorothy
Summers.
V
In M.E., -u- and -v- were used interchangeably, though with a
preference for v- as the initial letter (vnder, vain, etc.) and -u-
elsewhere (full, euer, etc.). The distinction into consonant and
vowel identities was established in Eng. by 1630, under influence of
continental printers, but into 19c. some dictionaries and other
catalogues continued to list -u- and -v- words as a single series. No
native Anglo-Saxon words begin in v- except those (vane, vat, vixen)
altered by the southwestern England habit of replacing initial f-
with v- (and initial s- with z-). Confusion of -v- and -w- was also a
characteristic of 16c. Cockney accents. In Ger. rocket weapons
systems of WWII, it stood for Vergeltungswaffe "reprisal weapon." V-
eight as a type of motor engine is recorded from 1930 (V-engine is
attested from 1924), so called for the arrangement. The V for
"victory" hand sign was conceived Jan. 1941 by Belgian politician and
resistance leader Victor de Laveleye, to signify Fr. victorie and
Flem. vrijheid ("freedom"). It was broadcast into Europe by Radio
België/Radio Belgique and popularized by the BBC by June 1941, from
which time it became a universal allied gesture.
simulcast (v.)
"to broadcast simultaneously on radio and television," 1948, formed
from simul(taneous) + (broad)cast. The noun is first recorded 1949,
from the verb.
radar
1941, acronym (more or less) for radio detecting and ranging. The
U.S. choice, it won out over British radiolocation.
opry
1914, U.S. dial. pronunciation of opera. Esp. in Grand Ole Opry, a
radio broadcast of country music from Nashville, registered as a
proprietary name 1950.
media
"newspapers, radio, TV, etc." 1927, perhaps abstracted from mass
media (1923, a technical term in advertising), pl. of medium, on
notion of "intermediate agency," a sense first found 1605.
console (n.)
1706, from Fr. console "a bracket," possibly from M.Fr. consolateur,
lit. "one who consoles," word used for carved human figures
supporting cornices, shelves or rails in choir stalls. Originally "a
cabinet," then "organ body" (1881), "radio cabinet" (1925), then
"cabinet for a TV, stereo etc." (1944).
channel
c.1300, "bed of running water," from O.Fr. chanel, from L. canalis
"groove, channel, waterpipe" (see canal) Given a broader, figurative
sense and a verbal meaning 1590s. Meaning "circuit for telegraph
communication" (1848) probably led to that of "band of frequency for
radio or TV signals" (1928).
antenna
1646, from L. antenna "sail yard," the long yard that sticks up on
some sails, of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE base *temp- "to
stretch, extend." In this sense, it is a loan-transl. of Gk. keraiai
"horns" (of insects). Modern use in radio, etc., for "aerial wire" is
from 1902.
transmit
c.1400, from L. transmittere "send across, transfer, pass on," from
trans- "across" + mittere "to send." Transmitter "apparatus for
receiving radio signals" is first attested 1934.
narrative (adj.)
c.1450, from M.Fr. narratif, from L.L. narrativus "suited to
narration," from L. narrare (see narration). The noun meaning "a
tale, story" is first recorded 1561, from the adjective. Narrator
first attested 1611; in sense of "a commentator in a radio program"
it is from 1941.
ham (2)
"overacting performer," 1882 Amer.Eng., apparently a shortening of
hamfatter (1880) "actor of low grade," said to be from an old
minstrel show song, "The Ham-fat Man," having to do with a second-
rate actor. The allusion is said to be either from ham fat as a make-
up remover or the practice among poor actors of using ham rind
instead of more expensive oil as a base for their make-up. The notion
of "amateurish" led to the sense of "amateur radio operator" (1919).
The verb in the performance sense is first recorded 1933.
short-wave
"radio wavelength less than c.100 meters," 1907, from short (adj.) +
wave.
microphone
coined from Gk. mikros "small" + phone "sound" (see fame). Modern
meaning dates from 1929, from use in radio broadcasting and movie
recording. Earlier, "telephone transmitter" (1878) and "ear trumpet
for the hard-of-hearing" (1683). Of the two spellings of the short
form of the word, mike (1927) is older than mic (1961).
whiz
"clever person," 1914, probably a special use of whiz "something
remarkable" (1908), an extended sense of whizz; or perhaps a
shortened form of wizard. Noun phrase whiz kid is from 1930s, a take-
off on a radio show's quiz kid.
talk (n.)
c.1475, "speech, discourse, conversation," from talk (v.). Meaning
"informal lecture or address" is from 1859. Talk of the town first
recorded 1624. Talk show first recorded 1965; talk radio is from
1985.
commerce
1537, from M.Fr. commerce, from L. commercium "trade, trafficking,"
from com- "together" + merx (gen. mercis) "merchandise" (see market).
Commercial is 1687 as an adj.; as a noun meaning "advertising
broadcast on radio or TV" it is first recorded 1935.
sponsor (n.)
1651, from L.L. sponsor "sponsor in baptism," in L. "a surety,
guarantee," from sponsus, pp. of spondere "give assurance, promise
solemnly" (see spondee). Sense of "person who pays for a radio (or,
after 1947, TV) program" is first recorded 1931. The verb is attested
from 1884, "to favor or support;" commercial broadcasting sense is
from 1931.
transistor
"small electronic device," 1948, from transfer + resistor, so called
because it transfers an electrical current across a resistor. Said to
have been coined by U.S. electrical engineer John Robinson Pierce
(1910-2002) of Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill, N.J., where
the device was invented in 1947. It that took over many functions of
the vacuum tube. Transistor radio is first recorded 1958.
transvestite
"person with a strong desire to dress in clothing of the opposite
sex," 1922, from Ger. Transvestit (1910), coined from L. trans-
"across" + vestire "to dress, to clothe" (see wear). Shortened form
trannie first recorded 1983 (in 1960s this was used as a slang
shortening of transistor radio). Transvestism is first attested 1928.
jam (v.)
"to press tightly," also "to become wedged," 1706, of unknown origin,
perhaps a variant of champ (v.). Sense of "to cause interference in
radio signals" is from 1914. Jazz noun meaning "short, free
improvised passage performed by the whole band" dates from 1929, and
yielded jam session (1933); perhaps from jam (n.) in sense of
"something sweet, something excellent." Noun sense of "machine
blockage" is from 1890, which probably led to the colloquial meaning
"predicament," first recorded 1914.
switch (v.)
c.1611, "to strike with a switch," from switch (n.). The meaning
"turn off or on" is first recorded 1853, of trains on tracks, 1881 of
electricity, 1932 of radio or (later) television. Sense of "shift,
divert" is from 1860. Meaning "to change one thing for another" is
recorded from 1919. Switch-hitter is 1930s in baseball slang, 1956 in
the sense of "bisexual person." Switchback in ref. to zig-zag
railways is recorded from 1863.
amplitude
1549, from L. amplitudinem (nom. amplitudo, gen. amplitudinis) "wide
extent, width," from amplus (see ample). Amplitude modulation in ref.
to radio wave broadcast (as opposed to frequency modulation) first
attested 1921, usually abbreviated a.m.
frequent
1531, from L. frequentem (nom. frequens) "crowded, repeated," of
uncertain origin. The v. (1477) is from L. frequentare "visit
regularly." Frequency (1551) came to be used 1831 in physics for
"rate of recurrence," especially of a vibration. In radio
electronics, frequency modulation (1922, abbreviated F.M.) as a
system of broadcasting is distinguished from amplitude modulation (or
A.M.).
sixty
O.E. sixtig, from siex (see six) + -tig (see -ty (1)). Phrase sixty-
four dollar question is 1942, from radio quiz show where that was the
top prize. Sixty-nine in sexual sense is first attested 1888, as a
transl. of Fr. faire soixante neuf, lit. "to do 69."
studio
1819, "work-room of a sculptor or painter," from It. studio "room for
study," from L. studium (see study). Motion picture sense first
recorded 1911; radio broadcasting sense 1922; television sense 1938.
Studio apartment first recorded 1903.
amplify
1432, "to enlarge or expand," from M.Fr. amplifier, from L.
amplificare "to enlarge," from amplificus "splendid," from amplus
"large" + the root of facere "make, do" (see factitious). Meaning
"augment in volume or amount" is from 1580. Specific focus on sound
seems to have emerged in the electronic age, c.1915, in ref. to radio
technology. The electronic amplifier first attested 1914; shortened
form amp is from 1967.
rating
action of verb "to rate" (see rate (n.)), 1534.Ratings of TV
programs, originally radio programs, began 1930 in U.S. under system
set up by Archibald M. Crossley, and were called Crossley ratings or
Crossleys until ratings began to be preferred c.1947.
over
O.E. ofer, from P.Gmc. *uberi (cf. O.S. obar, O.Fris. over, O.N.
yfir, O.H.G. ubar, Ger. über, Goth. ufar "over, above"), from PIE
*uper (see super-). Sense of "finished" is attested from 1399. In
radio communication, used to indicate the speaker has finished
speaking (1926). Widely used as a prefix in O.E. and other Gmc.
langs. Overly "excessively" is from O.E. oferlice. Adjective phrase
over-the-counter is attested from 1875, originally of stocks and
shares.
static (adj.)
1646 (earlier statical, 1570), "pertaining to the science of weight
and its mechanical effects," from Mod.L. statica, from Gk. statikos
"causing to stand, skilled in weighing," from stem of histanai "to
cause to stand, weigh," from PIE base *sta- "stand" (see stet). The
sense of "having to do with bodies at rest or with forces that
balance each other" is first recorded 1802. Applied to frictional
electricity from 1839. The noun meaning "radio noise" is first
recorded 1913; fig. sense of "aggravation, criticism" is attested
from 1926.
Roger
masc. proper name, from O.Fr. Rogier, from O.H.G. Hrotger, lit.
"famous with the spear," from hruod- "fame, glory" + ger "spear."
Slang meaning "penis" was popular c.1650-c.1870; hence the slang verb
sense of "to copulate with (a woman)," attested from 1711. The use of
the word in radio communication to mean "yes, I understand" is
attested from 1941, from the U.S. military phonetic alphabet word for
the letter -R-, in this case an abbreviation for "received." Said to
have been used by the R.A.F. since 1938. The Jolly Roger pirate flag
is first attested 1723, of unknown origin.
