Codec

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A tool or program that converts data into a coded form and then reverses the process to its original state
2. An apparatus or software application designed to compress and decompress digital information
3. A system that encodes signals or data for transmission or storage and decodes them for playback or use

Etymology: "Codec" is a syllabic abbreviation of "coder-decoder," a pairing of the two halves of the process: one part encodes data into a coded form, and the other reverses it. The blend follows the pattern of "modem," itself a shortening of "modulator-demodulator," which is the likely model for the shape of the word. The compressed form reads as a single unit, so the two functions merge into one device or program. A codec is often thought of as the software or hardware that performs both directions, whether that means shrinking a video file for storage and expanding it again for playback, or converting an analogue signal to digital and back.

Synonyms: coder, decoding software, encoding software, compressor, decompressor