WAV
WAV (noun) means an audio file format that normally stores a recording uncompressed, keeping the full sound at the cost of a large file. Example: “The studio sent the masters over as WAVs.”
How to Use WAV
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA large audio file that keeps the full sound quality.
Common in music production, broadcasting and audio editing; less used by general listeners. Written in capitals and said as a word rhyming with "have".
WAV is said as one syllable, not spelled out. The plural is WAVs.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The studio sent the masters over as _____.
Etymology
Short for Waveform Audio File Format; the file extension .wav gives the spoken form.
Synonyms
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between WAV and MP3?
A WAV normally keeps the recording exactly as captured, with nothing removed, so it is large but complete. An MP3 permanently discards parts of the sound to make the file much smaller. WAV is usual for recording and editing; MP3 is usual for sending and listening.
Does converting an MP3 to a WAV restore the lost quality?
No. The detail an MP3 discarded is gone for good, and wrapping it in a WAV simply makes a bigger file containing the same degraded audio. Quality can only be preserved, never recovered, by converting between formats.
Is WAV a Microsoft format?
WAV originated on Windows and is built on the RIFF file structure used there, but it is documented and read by audio software on every major platform, including Mac and Linux.