Bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies available for transmitting signals, or, in a broader sense, the capacity or capacity limit of a communication channel or system. In computing, it also denotes the data transfer rate of a network connection. It is commonly used metaphorically to describe the mental or logistical capacity available for a task or project.
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US: rhotic 'r' influence is absent here; focus on a clear /ˈbændˌwɪdθ/ with a stable /æ/ in 'band'. UK: sharper cessation of the final syllable, slightly crisper /d/ and subtle vowel differences; AU: similar to US but with mild vowel height difference and less syllable stress variation. Vowel guidance: /æ/ in 'band' should be open and front; /wɪ/ uses a short, relaxed /ɪ/; final /θ/ should be dental, with the tongue touching the upper teeth. IPA references help solidify exact positions; mimic native audio to hear subtle shifts.
"The bandwidth of the new fiber line supports gigabit speeds."
"He doesn’t have the bandwidth to take on another project right now."
"The team increased bandwidth by upgrading the router and reducing network congestion."
"We’ll need to allocate bandwidth more efficiently to meet the deadline."
Bandwidth originates from the combination of 'band' and 'width'. 'Band' has its roots in Old English band (rope, binding, boundary) and Proto-Germanic *bandaz, indicating a boundary or strip. 'Width' comes from Old English gewid, from the Proto-Germanic *widthuz, meaning breadth. The concept in communications arose in the 20th century as telecommunication engineers described the usable portion of the spectrum as a 'band' and its 'width' as the amount of capacity within that band. Early analog systems used fixed allocations, and the term evolved to cover digital data transfer rates (bits per second) as networks grew. In modern usage, bandwidth is both a physical electrical/optical property (signal bandwidth) and a metaphor for available cognitive or organizational resources. First known use in a technical sense appears in telecommunications literature from the 1920s-1930s, with broader adoption in computer networking and IT discourse during the late 20th century as bandwidth became a standard measure of data throughput rather than merely spectral range.
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Words that rhyme with "bandwidth"
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Pronounce as /ˈbænd.wɪdθ/ (US) or /ˈbændˌwɪdθ/ (UK/AU). Primary stress on the first syllable 'band'. The 'band' sounds like 'band' (bæ-nd). The second syllable 'width' is often reduced to a quick 'wɪd' portion; final 'th' is a 'θ' sound as in 'thin'. For a smooth flow, link the tense 'band' to 'width' with a slight pause only if needed for clarity. If you’re listening, you’ll hear a short, crisp 'wɪd' followed by a soft 'θ'. Audio reference: try hearing /ˈbænd.wɪdθ/ in pronunciations from dictionaries or Forvo.
Two common errors: (1) Over-enunciating 'width' as /wɪdθ/ with a hard 'idth' cluster; instead, keep it brief: /wɪd/ for the second syllable, letting the final /θ/ remain soft. (2) Misplacing stress or inserting a second strong beat on 'width'; keep stress on the first syllable: /ˈbænd.wɪdθ/. Focus on a clear 'band' followed quickly by the short /wɪd/ and final /θ/. Practice with minimal pairs like 'band' vs 'brand' helps ensure you don’t carry extra vowel length or mispronounce the 'd'.
In US English, the word is typically /ˈbændˌwɪdθ/ with a rhotic feel and a more compact second syllable. UK and AU often adopt /ˈbandˌwɪdθ/ with a slightly crisper 'd' and less vowel reduction. The main variance is the vowel quality and the potential salience of the trochophoric /ˌ/ mark; rhotics influence postvocalic 'r' absence in UK, while AU resembles US vowel qualities but with subtle vowel height differences. Overall, you’ll hear the same rhythm, with minor timing and vowel-timing differences across accents.
Because it combines a dense consonant cluster and a voiced-voiceless transition: the /bæn/ onset, the /d/ release into the fast /wɪd/ portion, and the dental fricative /θ/ at the end. The /d/ and /θ/ are close in articulation and require precise tongue placement to avoid blending into /t/ or /f/ in fast speech. The sequence /d w/ ties the syllables with a short vowel, so you must maintain tight timing to prevent a staccato or slurred ending.
There are no silent letters in bandwidth; the stress pattern is fairly straightforward: primary stress on the first syllable, with a secondary/strong secondary lift on the second syllable depending on tempo or emphasis in longer sentences. The word is two syllables plus a final 'th' with a dental /θ/. In connected speech, you may hear a mild syllabic reduction in rapid talk, but separate articulation ensures the 'band' and 'width' segments remain distinct.
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