compact disk
12
2.5
- noun
- /ˈkɒmpækt dɪsk/
- US
:
disco compacto
- A thin layer of metal coats the disc, which the lasers on compact-disc players can read.
- compact disk player
- compact disk (CD)
- audio compact disk
And this is back when it was quite common to listen to our music on compact discs.
- And this is back when it was quite common to listen to our music on compact discs.
- He asks us to imagine a stack of compact discs and a disc player that doesn't know which order to read out the bits on a compact disc.
- Four of the best of five golden rings today on five golden ring shaped compact discs.
Examples
-
These compact discs were usually made of some kind of plastic with a coating which gave them their shiny appearance.
-
Bands from all five branches of the U.S. military participated in the SingAmerica! compact disc project.
Academic text (1997) -
But you do have a new rock 'n' roll compact disc, I understand.
-
The first four materials listed were included on the compact disc, along with several other sets of speech materials.
Academic text (1993) -
Digital television provides many of the same advantages that the compact disc provides for audio.
Academic text (1998) -
After singing the melody through, students listen to a professional compact disc recording.
Academic text (1998) -
The software is delivered to customers on compact disks that contain the installation program and supporting documentation.
Academic text (2003) -
Materials from many first-generation compact discs will fit on one disc using the CD-ROM format.
Academic text (1993) -
The ensemble recorded a Billboard magazine Top-10 compact disc with Dances with Wolves composer Peter Buffet.
Academic text (1998) -
I bought a new album on a compact disk to enjoy while driving.
Synonyms
396
1.4
A small round disc that stores music and other digital files
16
4.0
A disc for computers that stores data you cannot change
1
2.5
A round plastic disc that stores music or spoken recordings to play in a CD player
1
3.7
A flat round disk that holds computer files for a laser to read
A round plastic disc that stores music and plays in CD players
A CD for computers that holds data you cannot change
How Writable
- Specialized
- US
12
2.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'compact' (small, tightly packed) modifies 'disk' (a thin, round plate), so learners can infer it refers to a small round disc-shaped object. This adjective+noun construction is cross-linguistically common (e.g., disco compacto, disque compact) and the typical use as a storage/playback medium is culturally salient, making the MWE immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.
Etymology
Compact disk comes from its shape and size: compact means small and packed, and disk is a flat, round plate. The idea of a small shiny disc that holds music or files and is read by a tiny light is the memory picture, so the name now means 'a small round disc used to store music or data'.