Definition
To send a radio signal from a transmitter through an antenna so it can be received by another station. In aviation radio use, transmitting is the act of speaking into the microphone with the push-to-talk switch pressed, sending your voice over the assigned frequency.
Plain English
To send out a signal or message — in a cockpit, this means pressing the talk button and speaking so others on the frequency can hear you.
Context Anchor
You see transmit in radio communication, transponder operation, and any aircraft system that sends a signal to another receiver.
Derivation
From the Latin transmittere, meaning 'to send across' (trans = across, mittere = to send). The word literally describes pushing something across a distance — in this case, a signal across the air between two radios.
Why Pilots Care
Clear transmissions keep everyone on frequency informed, avoiding confusion that could affect traffic separation or emergency response.
Intuition Check
Transmit does not simply mean “communicate.” It means the sending side of the exchange; communication is only complete if the message or signal is also received.
Example Sentence 1
After the controller's instruction, the pilot pressed the push-to-talk switch and transmitted the readback.
Example Sentence 2
Always listen before you transmit to avoid blocking another call.