radio
radio
Pronunciation
/ˈreɪ.di.oʊ/.
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
First Syllable: /ˈreɪ/
/r/: Voiced alveolar approximant (as in "red")
/eɪ/: Diphthong, starting with a mid-front unrounded vowel and gliding towards a high-front unrounded vowel (as in "day" or "say")
Second Syllable: /di/
/d/: Voiced alveolar stop (as in "dog")
/i/: Close front unrounded vowel (as in "see" or "machine")
Third Syllable: /oʊ/
/oʊ/: Diphthong, starting with a mid-back rounded vowel and gliding towards a close-mid back rounded vowel (as in "go" or "show")
Word Form Variations
Noun Forms:
Singular: radio (e.g., "I turned on the radio.")
Plural: radios (e.g., "There are several radios in the house.")
Verb Forms:
Base Form: radio (e.g., "I will radio for help.")
Third-person singular present: radios (e.g., "She radios her team every hour.")
Present participle: radioing (e.g., "He is radioing in his position.")
Past tense: radioed (e.g., "They radioed the message to headquarters.")
Past participle: radioed (e.g., "The information was radioed to the base.")
Additionally, "radio" often appears as part of compound words or phrases, acting as an adjective or modifier:
radio waves
radio station
radio show
radio broadcast
radio receiver
radio control (as in "radio-controlled car")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition: An electronic device that receives and/or transmits broadcast signals, typically used for listening to audio programs or for two-way communication over a distance.
Synonyms: receiver, transceiver, wireless (dated), set, walkie-talkie (for specific two-way radios)
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, as it describes a type of device. One might say "lack of a radio" or "silence" in a communication context.)
Definition: The medium or system by which sounds or information are transmitted and received through electromagnetic waves, particularly for broadcasting to a wide audience.
Synonyms: broadcasting, airwaves, wireless (dated), telecommunication
Antonyms: (No direct antonym. One might refer to other media like "print," "television," or "digital streaming" as alternatives, but not true antonyms.)
Definition: A particular broadcast program or station that is transmitted via radio waves.
Synonyms: broadcast, program, show, station, channel (informal)
Antonyms: (No direct antonym. One might refer to "non-radio content" or "other media.")
Verb
Definition: To transmit a message or communicate with someone using a radio device or system.
Synonyms: broadcast, transmit, send, call (on the radio), signal, page (historically)
Antonyms: receive (in the context of communication), listen (if one is the recipient)
Definition: To send out (information, a message, etc.) via radio waves for public reception.
Synonyms: disseminate, broadcast, air, transmit, put on air
Antonyms: withhold, suppress, silence, pull (from air)
Adjective
Definition: Of or relating to the transmission or reception of electromagnetic waves, especially for broadcasting or communication.
Synonyms: wireless, broadcasting, telecommunications (as in "telecommunications equipment")
Antonyms: wired, cable (in the context of networks)
Definition: Operated or controlled by means of radio signals.
Synonyms: remote-controlled, remotely operated, wireless
Antonyms: manual, wired, directly operated, autonomous (if the object operates itself without remote input)
Adverb
(Note: "Radio" is very rarely used as a standalone adverb in modern English. When it functions adverbially, it's typically as part of a compound or a phrasal verb. However, for the sake of completeness, here's a conceptual interpretation.)
Definition: By means of radio; via radio communication. (Often seen in phrases like "radio controlled" where "radio" modifies "controlled").
Synonyms: wirelessly, remotely, by broadcast
Antonyms: manually, directly, physically
Examples of Use
Newspapers/Online Publications:
"The local authorities issued an alert via radio and social media urging residents to evacuate before the storm hit." (Daily Nation)
"Scientists at the university are developing a new technique to detect gravitational waves using radio telescopes." (Phys.org)
"Listeners tuned into their favorite radio station to hear the latest election results." (The Standard)
Books:
"He spent hours in the garage, hunched over his workbench, trying to fix the old radio that had belonged to his grandfather." (From a work of fiction, illustrating the noun form as a device)
"The captain had to radio for immediate assistance after the engine failure." (From a novel about maritime adventures, showing the verb form)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Music/Audio: "You can stream this album on all major platforms or catch it on your local radio station." (Promotional material for a new music release)
Film/Television: "In the movie, the stranded astronaut attempts to radio Earth for rescue, but the signal is weak." (A film plot summary)
Podcasts: "Many classic radio dramas are now available as podcasts, introducing them to a new generation of listeners." (Podcast review)
Video Games: "Players can pick up a radio in the game to listen to in-game news broadcasts or receive mission updates." (Video game feature description)
General Public Discourse:
"My car has a fantastic radio; the sound quality is amazing." (Casual conversation about a car feature)
"Did you hear that story on the radio this morning? It was really interesting." (Discussing a news item heard on a broadcast)
"We need to radio ahead to let them know we're running late." (Informal communication about contacting someone via radio, often in professional or coordinated settings like security or event management)
"The old wireless set still brings in some static, but it's a great antique radio." (Describing a vintage item)
10 Quotes Using Radio
"It's not true I had nothing on, I had the radio on." - Marilyn Monroe
"The power of radio is not that it speaks to millions, but that it speaks intimately and privately to each one of those millions." - Hallie Flanagan
"TV gives everyone an image, but radio gives birth to a million images in a million brains." - Peggy Noonan (from What I Saw at the Revolution: A Political Life in the Reagan Era)
"Our blessed radio. It gives us eyes and ears into the world. We listen to the German station only for good music. And we listen to the BBC for hope." - Anne Frank (from The Diary of a Young Girl)
"I have long thought, and still think, that radio is magic. Television is OK, but radio is magic." - Charles Osgood
"Radio is the most intimate and socially personal medium in the world." - Harry Von Zell
"Gossip is the Devil's radio." - George Harrison
"When buying a used car, punch the buttons on the radio. If all the stations are rock and roll, there's a good chance the transmission is shot." - Larry Lujack
"In radio, you have two tools. Sound and silence." - Ira Glass
"The radio was my pal. I was just crazy about it." - Bob Edwards
Etymology
The word "radio" has a fascinating journey from its Latin roots to its modern meaning.
It ultimately comes from the Latin word "radius," which meant things like "spoke of a wheel," "beam of light," or "ray." Think of how the spokes of a wheel spread out from a central point, or how rays of light radiate outwards. This idea of spreading or radiating energy is key to the word's development.
In the late 19th century, as scientists were exploring new ways to transmit signals, the prefix "radio-" started being used to describe things that involved "radiant energy" or "rays." For instance, Alexander Graham Bell used "radiophone" in 1881 for a device that radiated sound. You also see it in words like "radioactive," which refers to elements giving off "rays."
The direct use of "radio" as a standalone word, referring to the wireless transmission of signals (especially voice), is a shortened form of earlier, longer terms. These included words like "radio-telegraphy" (meaning sending telegraph messages using these rays, not wires) or "radio-receiver."
The first known use of "radio" as a standalone word in English, meaning the "wireless transmission of voice signals with radio waves," is recorded around 1907. It was championed by people like Lee DeForest in the United States. Before this, "wireless telegraphy" was more common. However, an earlier use of "Radio" by itself, in the context of service instructions for telegrams, dates back to a British Post Office circular in December 1904, showing it was already being adopted in official contexts.
Essentially, the word evolved from the Latin idea of "rays" or "radiating" energy to specifically describe the technology that uses these "rays" (radio waves) to send sound and information wirelessly.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Radio
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "radio," along with some that use synonyms for similar effect:
On the radio: Broadcasting or being broadcast via radio.
Example: "That song is always on the radio."
Off the radio: Not currently broadcasting; no longer playing on the radio.
Example: "After midnight, many of the talk shows go off the radio."
Radio waves: The electromagnetic waves used for radio communication.
Example: "Information travels across the globe on radio waves."
Radio silence: A period during which a person or group does not communicate, often for strategic or technical reasons.
Example: "After the last transmission, the spacecraft went completely radio silence."
To radio in/out: To communicate by radio, either to report arrival/departure or to check in/out.
Example: "The security guard will radio in every hour."
Radio friendly: Describes music or content suitable for broadcast on commercial radio, typically implying a catchy or mainstream appeal.
Example: "They tried to make their new song more radio friendly."
Radio frequency (RF): A specific frequency within the electromagnetic spectrum used for radio transmission.
Example: "We need to tune into the correct radio frequency for that channel."
Walkie-talkie (as a synonym for a type of radio): A portable two-way radio.
Example: "The construction workers communicated using their walkie-talkies."
Tune in (to a radio station): To select a specific radio station to listen to.
Example: "Be sure to tune in tomorrow morning for the interview."
Tune out (from radio noise/chatter): To mentally block out or ignore unwanted radio noise or chatter.
Example: "Sometimes, I just have to tune out the constant radio chatter."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of radio from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
