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Glite Dictionary
📡 Signal interference 🔀 Using many routes 🖧 Many data paths
multipath

multipath

1 9.3
The arrival of signals by more than one route that causes interference
  • noun
  • Specialized
: multipath
  • Engineers must account for multipath phenomena to minimize errors in data transmission caused by signals bouncing off surfaces.

Examples

  • In radio communications, multipath interference can occur when signals arrive at the receiver via different routes, leading to distortion.

  • When installing a wireless network, it's important to consider multipath effects that might disrupt signal clarity due to reflections.

  • Neighboring stars: For stars closer than 100 pc or so, multipath effects from interstellar scattering are negligible.

    Academic text (1999)

Surface Forms

multipath singular
multipaths plural

Morphology

multipath = path (transparent) = multi + path

The word is transparently built from 'multi-' and 'path', even though the resulting radio term is specialized.

Etymology

Multipath comes from the parts multi- meaning 'many', as in multiplayer, and path meaning 'route' or 'way'. In radio and wireless systems, multipath is when a signal arrives by 'many routes', which can make parts of the signal come at different times and cause interference or errors.