cd-rw

Compact Disk Rewritable, n.: A CD that you can burn with various amounts of data multiple times or erased unlike a CD-R which can only be burned once and cannot be erased.
CD-RW have a much higher cost than CD-R's and slower burning rates and thus less used.

I prefer to use CD-RW for work because I can reuse them, but for permanent things I like to use CD-R.

by Zimbu January 7, 2004

cd-rw

A type of CD that can be written on AND erased. Somewhat like a regular computer floppy disk.

CD-RW = CD-ReWritable

Unless that cd is a cd-rw, I can't erase what's on it.

by Iron January 7, 2004

cd-rw

A recordable cd with data that can be overwritten. Not to be confused with a CD-R, which has data that can only be written once.

CD-RW disc (sold in most stores, more expensive than a CD-R)

by The Chillin' Villan January 7, 2004

cd-rw

Compact Disc - ReWritable. Meaning you can burn things to the CD, then burn them again.

"Hey man, I gotta erase this Anti-Flag CD-RW for a Bad Religion CD-RW."

by JET January 7, 2004

cd-rw

Literally, a ReWritable Compact Disc.

It's a cd that you can burn onto multiple times in case the first time sucked.

Let's go buy some cd-rw's and bring the downfall of pop music because someone cant get their Prada bag.

by EvilToasterCrumb January 6, 2004

cd-rw

lit. Compact Disc - Re-Writable.
a cd that you can burn data onto more than once, covering up old data, or simply adding new.

I've been using this CD-RW for bringing all my homework assignments into school because my printer at home has been broken.

by Brian January 7, 2004

CD-RW

What some people consider the holy grail of physical media, although BD-RE (Blu-Ray Rewritable) discs exist and hold up to 128 GB compared to CD-RW's 700 MB (0.7 GB for scale). Also, CD-RW was made after DVD came out (although DVD-RW didn't exist for a while afterward).

1: "Just got a CD-RW to hold all my photos."
2: "Just get a BD-RE. Same space, more storage."
3: "Physical media? Just. Use. Cloud storage."

by mrqwerty567 June 7, 2025