bandwidth

[/ˈbændwɪdθ/]
nounpl: bandwidths
largura de banda
1. The maximum rate of data transfer across a given path, typically measured in bits per second (bps), kilobits per second (kbps), or megabits per second (Mbps)
The internet connection has a bandwidth of 100 Mbps.
A conexão de internet tem uma largura de banda de 100 Mbps.
2. The range of frequencies occupied by a signal or communication channel
Radio bandwidth is limited by regulatory agencies.
A largura de banda de rádio é limitada por agências regulatórias.
3. Figuratively, the capacity or resources available for a particular task or responsibility
I don't have the bandwidth to take on another project right now.
Não tenho capacidade disponível para assumir outro projeto agora.
The term 'bandwidth' has become increasingly common in Brazilian business and tech culture as internet adoption has grown. In informal usage in both Brazil and the USA, it has extended metaphorically to mean available time, attention, or mental capacity in professional contexts (e.g., 'I don't have the bandwidth for that'). This figurative usage is becoming more widespread in Brazilian Portuguese as well, particularly in tech and corporate environments.
NYC Slang
Not applicable - technical term used uniformly across English-speaking regions
Synonyms / Sinônimos
throughputdata ratetransmission capacitychannel capacity
Antonyms / Antônimos
latencycongestionbottleneck

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
largura de banda
Standard technical term used in Brazil
São Paulo
banda passante
Alternative technical term, less common but used in engineering contexts
Portugal
largura de banda
Same as Brazilian Portuguese; standard European Portuguese term
General English
bandwidth
Sometimes used informally to mean available time or mental capacity

Related Words

bit ratedata transferinternet speednetwork capacityspectrumthroughput

Related Idioms & Phrases

use up bandwidth - consumir capacidade disponível
limited bandwidth - capacidade limitada
increase bandwidth - aumentar a largura de banda
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