carrier

carrier [kar′ē ər]

n.

[ME carier < carien, CARRY]

1. a person or thing that carries, as one who delivers mail or newspapers, or a train, bus, airplane, etc.

2.

a) a person or company in the business of transporting goods or passengers

b) a company in the business of providing telephone service

3. a messenger or porter

4. a container, support, or course in or on which something is carried or conducted, as a mechanical part or device or a water conduit

5. a reclining plastic seat for a baby, which may be carried or set down

6. a company that insures a certain person, organization, etc.

7. AIRCRAFT CARRIER

8. a person or animal that carries and transmits disease germs or recessive genes, esp. a person who does not seem to be affected by them

9. Chem.

a) a catalytic agent that causes an element or radical to be transferred from one compound to another

b) a body which supports the catalyst deposited in or on it

c) a relatively large quantity of a stable substance that is combined with a minute quantity of an isotope, esp. one that is a radioactive tracer, to facilitate its handling

10. Electronics an electron, ion, hole, etc. whose movement constitutes a flow of electric current

11. Radio & TVRadio TV the steady transmitted wave whose amplitude, frequency, or phase is modulated by the signal