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bandwidth

BAND-width /ˈbænd.wɪtθ/

nounB2SATACT

professionalgeneral

The maximum capacity of a wired or wireless communications link to transmit data over a network connection in a given amount of time.

Technically, it refers to data transmission capacity, but in modern office jargon, it is frequently used metaphorically to describe a person's mental capacity or time to take on tasks.

The story behind the word. Originally a physics term from the late 19th century describing the width of a band of radio frequencies. With the rise of computing, it shifted from physical wave frequencies to the volume of digital data those waves could carry.

Word relationships

capacity: Capacity is a general term for volume or limit, while bandwidth specifically refers to the rate of data transfer or cognitive processing limits.

Commonly confused with

speed: Network speed is how fast data travels, while bandwidth is how much data can travel at once. Think of speed as the speed limit on a highway, and bandwidth as the number of lanes.

Word family

broadband (noun): A high-capacity transmission technique using a wide range of frequencies.

Collocations

limited bandwidth
consume bandwidth
mental bandwidth

Example sentences

"I would love to help with the new marketing campaign, but I simply do not have the bandwidth this week." An email discussing project assignments.

Memory hook

Imagine a highway 'band'—the wider the band, the more cars (data) can drive side-by-side without causing a traffic jam. The width of the data highway.

When not to use

Avoid using the metaphorical sense in highly formal technical documentation where it might be confused with actual network throughput.

Fun facts

The transition of 'bandwidth' from a technical networking term to an office metaphor for human energy occurred during the dot-com boom of the late 1990s.