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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Morse code   (click for larger image in new window) n.   Either of two codes used for transmitting messages in which letters of the alphabet and numbers are represented by various sequences of dots and dashes or short and long signals. [After Samuel Finley Breese Morse.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Morse code 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

morse code

noun

a telegraph code in which letters and numbers are represented by strings of dots and dashes (short and long signals) [syn: Morse]

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Morse code   A code developed by Samuel Morse used for transmitting messages in which letters of the alphabet and numbers are represented by various sequences of written dots and dashes, or short and long signals such as electric tones or voltages. Morse code was used extensively in telegraphy. In a format that has been standardized for international use, it is still sometimes used for long distance radio communication.

Free On-line Dictionary of Computing - Cite This Source - Share This

Morse code communications
A coding system invented by Samuel A. Morse, for use in sending character data over extremely low-quality pathways -- such as telegraphs and low-quality radio. Morse code expresses characters as pulses of different durations. Short signals are called "dots" and long signals are calles "dashes". The coding assigns shorter sequences to the most frequently used characters.
American Morse code is the first and original Morse code character set. Character sets adapted to other languages were developed later.
American Morse Code:
A . __ J . . S . . . 1 . __ __ . B __ . . . K __ . __ T __ 2 . . __ . . C . . . L ___ U . . __ 3 . . . __ . D __ . . M __ __ V . . . __ 4 . . . . __ E . N __ . W . __ __ 5 __ __ __ F . __ . O . . X . __ . . 6 . . . . . . G __ __ . P . . . . . Y . . . . 7 __ __ . . H . . . . Q . . __ . Z . . . . 8 __ . . . . I . . R . . . 0 ____ 9 __ . . __
Where . is a short pulse, __ a long pulse, ___ a very long pulse and ____ a extra long pulse. There are also long and short spaces character-internal. Intercharacter spaces are very long and interword spaces are extra long. There is no standarisation in these durations, and they vary depending on the coder's preference and on the quality of the line.
Continental Morse Code or International Morse Code is a widely used de-facto standard. This table summarises the Western European usage of Continental Morse Code:
A .- G --. M -- S ... Y -.-- 4 ....- B -... H .... N -. T - Z --.. 5 ..... C -.-. I .. O --- U ..- 0 ----- 6 -.... D -.. J .--- P .--. V ...- 1 .---- 7 --... E . K -.- Q --.- W .-- 2 ..--- 8 ---.. F ..-. L .-.. R .-. X -..- 3 ...-- 9 ----.
A-umlaut (1) .-.- E-acute ..-.. A-acute .--.- N-tilde --.-- A-corona (11) .--.- O-umlaut (1) ---. CH (2) ---- U-umlaut (1) ..--
Punctuation Marks: Other Signs:
period .-.-.- warning .-..- comma --..-- error ........ question mark ..--.. repetition (ii ii) .. .. hyphen -....- wait (AS) .-... colon (3) ---... interruption (BK) -...-.- underline (4) ..--.- understood (VE) ...-. apostrophe .----. transmission received (R) .-. quotation mark .-..-. beginning of message (KA) -.-.- parenthesis open (5)-.--. end of message (AR) .-.-. parenthesis (close) -.--.- end of transmission (K) (6) -.- equal sign (7) -...- end of transmission (KN) (8) -.--. plus sign .-.-. closing mark (SK) (9) ...-.- multiplication sign -..- closing station (CL) -.-..-. fraction mark -..-. separator (10) .-..-
(1) Note: 'umlaut' is also known as 'diaeresis' (2) Used only in German; not in Dutch. (3) also: 'divided by' (4) before and after the word to be underlined (5) purportedly replaced by -.--.- for both "(" and ")" (6) both and invitation to any station to start transmission (7) also used as spacing between parts of transmission (8) also an invitation to one station in particular to start transmission (9) connection will be closed. (10) in fractions, for example. (11) A-ring ?
Where '.' is a short pulse, '-' a long one. A '-' is three times as long as a '.'; character-internal spaces are as long as '.'s. Intercharacter space are as long as -'s. Spaces between words are as long as seven '.'s.
(1996-11-23)

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Morse code

Morse" code"\ (Teleg.) The telegraphic code, consisting of dots, dashes, and spaces, invented by Samuel B. Morse. The Alphabetic code which is in use in North America is given below. In length, or duration, one dash is theoretically equal to three dots; the space between the elements of a letter is equal to one dot; the interval in spaced letters, as O . ., is equal to three dots. There are no spaces in any letter composed wholly or in part of dashes.

Note: Alphabet A .- H .... O . . V ...- B - . . . I .. P ..... W .-- C .. . J -.-. Q ..-. X .-.. D -.. K -.- R . .. Y .. .. E . L --- S ... Z ... . F .-. M -- T -- & . ... G --. N -. U ..- Numerals 1 .--. 4 . . . .- 7 --.. 2 ..-.. 5 --- 8 - . . . . 3 . . . -. 6 . . . . . . 9 -..- 0 ---- Period ..--.. Comma .-.- The International (Morse) code used elsewhere is the same as the above with the following exceptions. C -.-. L .-.. Q --.- Y -.-- F ..-. O --- R .-. Z --.. J .--- P .--. X -..- The Morse code is used chiefly with the electric telegraph, but is also employed in signalling with flags, lights, etc.