Transfer vs. Transmission — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on April 22, 2024
"Transfer" refers to the act of moving something from one place to another, while "transmission" specifically denotes the sending or conveying of something, especially data or energy, from one point to another.
Difference Between Transfer and Transmission
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Transfer" is a general term used to describe the movement of objects, funds, or information from one location or person to another. It implies a change in possession or control and can be used in various contexts, such as financial transactions or physical relocation of items. On the other hand, "transmission" is more specialized and often used in technical contexts, particularly relating to the conveyance of power, signals, or data through a medium or system.
Transfer encompasses a broad range of activities, from the physical relocation of tangible items to the administrative or digital transfer of records or funds. Whereas, transmission specifically involves the mechanism or process through which energy, information, or diseases are conveyed or spread, often requiring a medium like wires, airwaves, or other carriers.
The action of transferring can be a one-time, point-to-point event or part of a larger system of distribution, such as transferring goods across a supply chain. In contrast, transmission often suggests ongoing, continuous processes like the transmission of electricity through power lines or data through networks.
Transfer is a versatile term that can also imply legal or formal change in ownership or responsibility, such as transferring property titles or delegating tasks. On the other hand, transmission frequently appears in contexts like telecommunications, mechanics, and medicine, where precise processes and effects are implied.
While both terms involve movement from one point to another, the method, intent, and implications of transfer and transmission can differ greatly. Transfer is more about the act of moving or reallocating, while transmission is more about the method and mechanics of how something is conveyed.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Movement of items or information from one place to another.
Sending or conveying of data, energy, etc., from one point to another.
Context
Broad, can be physical, digital, or administrative.
Often technical, relating to energy, data, or biological agents.
Process
Can be a single, discrete event or part of a larger system.
Involves mechanisms or systems that continuously convey.
Examples
Transferring funds between bank accounts, relocating an office.
Transmitting electricity through power grids, broadcasting a radio signal.
Related Concepts
Change of ownership, delegation of responsibilities.
Signal propagation, energy distribution, infection spread.
Compare with Definitions
Transfer
Can denote the relocation of physical objects or personnel.
The company handled the transfer of employees to the new branch smoothly.
Transmission
Often used to describe the spread of diseases.
Measures were taken to prevent the transmission of the virus in crowded areas.
Transfer
Moving something from one place to another.
He arranged for the transfer of his medical records to the new doctor.
Transmission
The act of sending something across a distance.
Transmission of data over optical fibers is incredibly fast.
Transfer
Applies to administrative or digital contexts.
Data transfer speeds are crucial for server efficiency.
Transmission
Relates to the conveyance of energy.
The power company is responsible for the transmission of electricity.
Transfer
Often used in financial contexts.
They processed a bank transfer of $5,000.
Transmission
Specific to the mechanism or process in technical fields.
The car's manual transmission required repair.
Transfer
Can involve the change of ownership or rights.
The transfer of property was completed by the end of the month.
Transmission
Applies to broadcasting signals or information.
Live transmission of the event was watched by millions worldwide.
Transfer
Move from one place to another
He intends to transfer the fund's assets to the Treasury
I went to sleep on the couch before transferring to my bedroom later in the night
Transmission
The action or process of transmitting something or the state of being transmitted
The transmission of the virus
Transfer
Change to another place, route, or means of transport during a journey
Passengers have to transfer at Heathrow for onward international flights
Transmission
The mechanism by which power is transmitted from an engine to the axle in a motor vehicle
A three-speed automatic transmission
Transfer
Make over the possession of (property, a right, or a responsibility) to another
We will transfer full planning responsibility to local authorities
Transmission
The act or process of transmitting.
Transfer
Change (the sense of a word or phrase) by extension or metaphor
A transferred use of the Old English noun
Transmission
The fact of being transmitted.
Transfer
An act of moving something or someone to another place, organization, team, etc.
A transfer of wealth to the EU's poorer nations
A patient had died after transfer from the County Hospital to St Peter's
She asked her boss for a transfer to the city
Transmission
Something, such as a message, that is transmitted.
Transfer
A small coloured picture or design on paper, which can be transferred to another surface by being pressed or heated
T-shirts with iron-on transfers
Transmission
An assembly, as in a motor vehicle, that transmits power from an engine to a driving axle, usually having a manually or automatically adjustable mechanism to control the balance of power and speed. Also called gearbox.
Transfer
An act of changing to another place, route, or means of transport during a journey
Bus transfers between the airport and the city centre cost about £11
Transmission
The sending of a signal, picture, or other information from a transmitter.
Transfer
To convey or cause to pass from one place, person, or thing to another.
Transmission
The act of transmitting, e.g. data or electric power.
Transfer
(Law) To make over the possession or legal title of (property, for example); convey.
Transmission
The fact of being transmitted.
Transfer
To convey (a design, for example) from one surface to another, as by impression.
Transmission
Something that is transmitted, such as a message, picture, or a disease; the sending of such a thing.
Transfer
To move oneself from one location or job to another.
Transmission
(biology) The passage of a nerve impulse across synapses.
Transfer
To withdraw from one educational institution or course of study and enroll in another.
Transmission
(automotive) An assembly of gears through which power is transmitted from the engine to the driveshaft in a motor car / automobile; a gearbox.
Transfer
To change from one public conveyance to another
Transferred to another bus.
Transmission
(legal) The right possessed by an heir or legatee of transmitting to his successor(s) any inheritance, legacy, right, or privilege, to which he is entitled, even if he should die without enjoying or exercising it.
Transfer
Also trans·fer·al (trăns-fûrəl) The conveyance or removal of something from one place, person, or thing to another.
Transmission
(medicine, biology) The passing of a communicable disease from an infected host individual or group to a conspecific individual or group.
Transfer
One who transfers or is transferred, as to a new school.
Transmission
The act of transmitting, or the state of being transmitted; as, the transmission of letters, writings, papers, news, and the like, from one country to another; the transmission of rights, titles, or privileges, from father to son, or from one generation to another.
Transfer
A design conveyed by contact from one surface to another.
Transmission
The right possessed by an heir or legatee of transmitting to his successor or successors any inheritance, legacy, right, or privilege, to which he is entitled, even if he should die without enjoying or exercising it.
Transfer
A ticket entitling a passenger to change from one public conveyance to another as part of one trip.
Transmission
The mechanism within a vehicle which transmits rotational power from the engine to the axle of the wheel propelling the vehicle; it includes the gears and gear-changing mechanism as well as the propeller shaft.
Transfer
A place where such a change is made.
Transmission
The process or event of sending signals by means of a radio-frequency wave from an electronic transmitter to a receiving device.
Transfer
Also transferal(Law) A conveyance of title or property from one person to another.
Transmission
The act of sending a message; causing a message to be transmitted
Transfer
(transitive) To move or pass from one place, person or thing to another.
To transfer the laws of one country to another; to transfer suspicion
Transmission
Communication by means of transmitted signals
Transfer
(transitive) To convey the impression of (something) from one surface to another.
To transfer drawings or engravings to a lithographic stone
Transmission
The fraction of radiant energy that passes through a substance
Transfer
To exit one mass transit vehicle and board another (typically one belonging to a different line or mode of transportation) to continue a journey.
Transfer to the Blue Line
Transmission
An incident in which an infectious disease is transmitted
Transfer
(intransitive) To be or become transferred.
Transmission
The gears that transmit power from an automobile engine via the driveshaft to the live axle
Transfer
To arrange for something to belong to or be officially controlled by somebody else.
The title to land is transferred by deed.
Transfer
(uncountable) The act of conveying or removing something from one place, person or thing to another.
Transfer
(countable) An instance of conveying or removing from one place, person or thing to another; a transferal.
Transfer
An act of exiting one mass transit vehicle and boarding another (typically one belonging to a different line or mode of transportation) to continue a journey.
Free transfers can be made between the Red and Orange Lines by walking from one of the station's platforms to another; in addition, riders using a fare card also get free transfers between bus and subway at the station.
Transfer
A paper receipt given to a rider of one bus (and historically also certain elevated or subway lines), allowing free entry onto another bus to continue a journey.
Transfer
(countable) A design conveyed by contact from one surface to another; a heat transfer.
Transfer
A soldier removed from one troop, or body of troops, and placed in another.
Transfer
(medicine) A pathological process by which a unilateral morbid condition on being abolished on one side of the body makes its appearance in the corresponding region upon the other side.
Transfer
(genetics) The conveying of genetic material from one cell to another.
Transfer
(bridge) A conventional bid which requests partner to bid the next available suit.
Transfer
(sports) A person who transfers or is transferred from one club or team to another.
Transfer
To convey from one place or person another; to transport, remove, or cause to pass, to another place or person; as, to transfer the laws of one country to another; to transfer suspicion.
Transfer
To make over the possession or control of; to pass; to convey, as a right, from one person to another; to give; as, the title to land is transferred by deed.
Transfer
To remove from one substance or surface to another; as, to transfer drawings or engravings to a lithographic stone.
Transfer
The act of transferring, or the state of being transferred; the removal or conveyance of a thing from one place or person to another.
Transfer
The conveyance of right, title, or property, either real or personal, from one person to another, whether by sale, by gift, or otherwise.
I shall here only consider it as a transfer of property.
Transfer
That which is transferred.
Transfer
A picture, or the like, removed from one body or ground to another, as from wood to canvas, or from one piece of canvas to another.
Transfer
A pathological process by virtue of which a unilateral morbid condition on being abolished on one side of the body makes its appearance in the corresponding region upon the other side.
Transfer
A drawing or writing printed off from one surface on another, as in ceramics and in many decorative arts.
Transfer
A soldier removed from one troop, or body of troops, and placed in another.
Transfer
The act of transporting something from one location to another
Transfer
Someone who transfers or is transferred from one position to another;
The best student was a transfer from LSU
Transfer
The act of transfering something from one form to another;
The transfer of the music from record to tape suppressed much of the background noise
Transfer
A ticket that allows a passenger to change conveyances
Transfer
Application of a skill learned in one situation to a different but similar situation
Transfer
Transferring ownership
Transfer
Move around;
Transfer the packet from his trouser pockets to a pocket in his jacket
Transfer
Transfer somebody to a different position or location of work
Transfer
Move from one place to another;
Transfer the data
Transmit the news
Transfer the patient to another hospital
Transfer
Lift and reset in another soil or situation;
Transplant the young rice plants
Transfer
Cause to change ownership;
I transferred my stock holdings to my children
Transfer
Change from one vehicle or transportation line to another;
She changed in Chicago on her way to the East coast
Transfer
Send from one person or place to another;
Transmit a message
Transfer
Shift the position or location of, as for business, legal, educational, or military purposes;
He removed his children to the countryside
Remove the troops to the forest surrounding the city
Remove a case to another court
Transfer
Transfer from one place or period to another;
The ancient Greek story was transplanted into Modern America
Common Curiosities
What is the difference between data transfer and data transmission?
Data transfer often refers to the act of moving data between storage devices or systems, while data transmission involves sending data across communication networks.
What does it mean to transfer a call?
Transferring a call involves redirecting a telephone call to another party or extension within or outside the initial receiving system.
What role does transmission play in electrical engineering?
In electrical engineering, transmission refers to the large-scale movement of electrical power from generation sites to substations and then to consumers.
How is digital transmission secured?
Digital transmission is secured through encryption, which scrambles data to prevent unauthorized access during its conveyance.
How does transmission relate to telecommunications?
In telecommunications, transmission refers to the process of sending voice, data, or video across distances using cables, signals, or wireless methods.
What is the impact of efficient transmission systems?
Efficient transmission systems greatly enhance the reliability and speed of power and data delivery, improving overall system performance and user experience.
Can the term "transfer" be used interchangeably with "transmission"?
Not always; while both involve moving something from one point to another, "transmission" is more specific to the methods and mechanisms of conveying, especially in technical contexts.
Is transferring a disease the same as transmitting it?
Transmitting a disease specifically refers to the mechanisms by which a disease is spread from one individual to another, often involving vectors or direct contact, whereas transferring is less commonly used in this context.
Can you transfer internet data?
Internet data transfer typically refers to downloading or uploading data, while transmission might refer to the actual data flow over internet connections.
What are some examples of mechanical transmissions?
Mechanical transmissions involve systems like gearboxes in vehicles, which transmit mechanical power from the engine to the wheels.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
