meacon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low frequency (Rare/Technical)Highly specialized technical/defense jargon
Quick answer
What does “meacon” mean?
To deceive or mislead by transmitting false navigational signals.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To deceive or mislead by transmitting false navigational signals.
The act of jamming or spoofing radio navigation signals, particularly in military contexts, to confuse enemy navigation systems and cause them to miscalculate their position.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional differences in meaning or form. Usage is uniform across military/defense communities of both nations.
Connotations
Exclusively technical and military. Carries connotations of electronic warfare, espionage, and strategic deception.
Frequency
Extremely rare in both varieties, only found in highly specialized documents or discussions.
Grammar
How to Use “meacon” in a Sentence
[Subject: entity] + meacon + [Object: signals/navigation systems][Subject: forces] + meacon + [Object: enemy aircraft/ships]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “meacon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The squadron's mission was to meacon the enemy's coastal radar network.
- During the exercise, they learned how to meacon GPS signals effectively.
American English
- The electronic warfare unit was tasked to meacon the adversary's guidance systems.
- Advanced aircraft can meacon enemy defenses to create a safe corridor.
adverb
British English
- The signals were broadcast meaconingly, creating widespread confusion.
American English
- The system operated meaconingly, mimicking several real beacons at once.
adjective
British English
- The meaconing equipment was state-of-the-art.
- A meacon signal was detected originating from the disputed territory.
American English
- The team conducted a meacon operation during the war game.
- They deployed a meacon device to test base security.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Possible only in historical or technical papers on electronic warfare.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Exclusively used in military, defense, and electronic countermeasure contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “meacon”
- Using it as a noun (e.g., 'a meacon'). While historical, the modern technical use is primarily verbal.
- Confusing it with 'beacon'. A meacon is a false or deceptive beacon.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare and highly technical term used almost exclusively in military and electronic warfare contexts.
Its origin is as a noun (short for 'meaconing'), but in contemporary technical use, it is primarily encountered as a verb. Using it as a noun would be considered archaic or highly specialized.
While both are electronic countermeasures, 'jam' generally means to overwhelm a signal with noise to block it. 'Meacon' is more specific: it involves intercepting and rebroadcasting a genuine signal (like a navigation beacon) to provide false data, thereby spoofing or misleading the receiver.
It is highly unlikely. Knowledge of this word is typically limited to personnel in defense, aviation, signal intelligence, or historians of technology and warfare.
To deceive or mislead by transmitting false navigational signals.
Meacon is usually highly specialized technical/defense jargon in register.
Meacon: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmiːkən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmiːkɑːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MEACON as a MEAns of CONfusion for navigation beacons.
Conceptual Metaphor
NAVIGATION IS A PATH; DECEPTION IS OBSCURING THAT PATH.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary field of use for the word 'meacon'?