compact disc

/ˌˈkɑmpækt ˌdɪsk/

/ˈkɒmpækt dɪsk/

Other forms: compact discs

Definitions of compact disc

1. noun

   a digitally encoded recording on an optical disk that is smaller than a phonograph record; played back by a laser
   synonyms: CD, compact disk

   types:

   audio CD, audio compact disc

   compact discs used to reproduce sound (voice and music)

   CD-R, CD-WO, compact disc recordable, compact disc write-once

   a compact disc on which you can write only once and thereafter is read-only memory

   CD-ROM, compact disc read-only memory

   a compact disk that is used with a computer (rather than with an audio system); a large amount of digital information can be stored and accessed but it cannot be altered by the user

   type of:

   optical disc, optical disk

   a disk coated with plastic that can store digital data as tiny pits etched in the surface; is read with a laser that scans the surface

   recording

   a storage device on which information (sounds or images) have been recorded