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PlainSpell

radio

ra·dio/ˈɹeɪ.diˌoʊ/noun, verb

radio is spelled R-A-D-I-O: 5 letters and 2 syllables (ra·dio). It appears 102 times per million words in written English, the 1,048th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, radio means “The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of radio is radios.

How many letters and syllables are in radio?

Letters5: R-A-D-I-O
Syllables2: ra·dio
In writing102 times per million words; the 1,048th most frequent word form
Wrong spellings searchednone measured in search

Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How common is radio?

Radio appears 102 times per million words in written English, the 1,048th most frequent word form in the list.

Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).

How do you pronounce radio?

  • UK /ˈɹeɪ.diˌəʊ/
  • US /ˈɹeɪ.diˌoʊ/

Radio has 2 syllables, split ra·dio in writing.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-radio.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Flame,_not_lame-radio-.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of radio

  • radios plural, present, singular, he/she/it
  • radioes present, singular, he/she/it
  • radioing participle, present
  • radioed participle, past
  • radi-
  • rad-

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What does radio mean?

The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).

noun

  1. 1

    The technology that allows for the transmission of sound or other signals by modulation of electromagnetic waves.

    send a message by radio

  2. 2

    A device that can capture (receive) the signal sent over radio waves and render the modulated signal as sound.

    (of a song, person, etc.) to be on the radio

  3. 3

    Any audio playing device, such as the on-board entertainment system in a car, usually including a radio receiver as well as the capability to play audio from recorded media; see also car radio.

  4. 4

    A device that can transmit radio signals.

  5. 5

    The continuous broadcasting of sound via the Internet in the style of traditional radio.

verb

  1. 1

    To use two-way radio to transmit (a message) (to another radio or other radio operator).

    I think the boat is sinking; we'd better radio for help. / I radioed him already. / Radio the coordinates this time. / OK. I radioed them the coordinates.

  2. 2

    To order or assist (to a location), using telecommunications.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Radio in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchradio, radiodiffusion (technology), radio- (radiation)
GermanRadio, Hörfunk, Funk (technology), radio- (radiation), Radioempfänger, Funkempfänger (receiver – see also radioreceptor)
Portugueserádio (technology), radio- (radiation), telefonia (receiver – see also radioreceptor)
Spanishradio (technology), radio- (radiation)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.

Where does radio come from?

Short for radiotelegraphy.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

What to look up after radio