Meanings
plural test cards
- A card printed with various letters or symbols, used in testing vision.
Synonyms: Snellen chart
- UKbroadcastingA test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no programme is being broadcast (often at startup and closedown).
In 1967, the BBC needed a ‘test card’ for its new colour broadcasts, to be put on the screen when programmes were not being transmitted so engineers could adjust the quality of the picture.
2013, Chris McManus, Right Hand, Left Hand, Hachette, →ISBNSynonyms: test pattern
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA card printed with various letters or symbols, used in testing vision.
nounA test signal, typically broadcast at times when the transmitter is active but no programme is being broadcast (often at startup and closedown).
Translations
Danish prøvebillede
- prøvebilledebroadcast test signal
Finnish näkötaulu, testikuva
- näkötauluvision test card
- testikuvabroadcast test signal
- virityskuvabroadcast test signal
German Testbild
- Testbildbroadcast test signal
Indonesian pola teknik
- pola teknikbroadcast test signal
Japanese テストカード
- テストカード (tesuto kādo)broadcast test signal
Malay kad ujian
- kad ujianbroadcast test signal
Polish obraz kontrolny
- obraz kontrolnybroadcast test signal
Portuguese mira técnica
- mira técnicabroadcast test signal
Spanish carta de ajuste
- carta de ajustebroadcast test signal
Cite this entry
test card. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20card
“test card.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20card. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “test card,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/test%20card.
Source: test card on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.