# carrier wave

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈkæ.ɹɪ.ə weɪv/

## Definitions
1. A wave that can be modulated, either in amplitude, frequency, or phase, to carry or transmit images, music, speech, or other signals.
2. Synonym of soliton (“a self-reinforcing pulse or travelling wave caused by any non-linear effect”).

## Etymology
From carrier + wave. Sense 2 (“soliton”) was coined by the Scottish civil engineer, naval architect, and shipbuilder John Scott Russell (1808–1882): see the quotations.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/carrier-wave