abbreviation of MPEG-1, audio layer 3
Standard technology and format for the compression of audio signals into very small computer files.
For example, sound data from a Internet . Although recording companies have sued many Web site s for facilitating the exchange of such copyrighted material, many now provide sample songs in MP3 format to promote CD sales, and some musicians bypass recording companies and issue their songs over the Internet in MP3 format only. See also data compression .