A podcast is a series of digital audio, image-enhanced audio, or video files available over the Internet via syndicated download. These files are distributed through web feeds to personal computers and portable media players, such as an iPod. A podcast is different from other digital media formats because it is syndicated, subscribed to, and can be downloaded automatically when new content is added.

The term podcast was created by combining the words "iPod" and "broadcast." The Apple iPod was the first device to enable podcasts to automatically transfer from a personal computer to a mobile device after being downloaded. Today, however, most mobile devices are able to synchronize with podcast feeds.