[het.ero.dyne] adj [heter- + -dyne, modif. of Gk dynamis power--more at dynamic] (1908): of or relating to the production of an electrical beat between two radio frequencies of which one usu. is that of a received signal-carrying current and the other that of an uninterrupted current introduced into the apparatus; also: of or relating to the production of a beat between two optical frequencies
[2]heterodyne vt -dyned ; -dyn.ing (1923): to combine (as a radio frequency) with a different frequency so that a beat is produced