WordGarden.ioadaptor
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /ədˈæptə/
US
- /əˈdæptər/
Meanings
Noun
a device that lets otherwise incompatible plugs, cables, or equipment connect or work together
a hardware or software interface that lets computer systems communicate or translate between formats
a molecule or protein that links other molecules in a biological process such as cell signaling
Beyond the definition
In everyday use, an adaptor (often spelled adapter) is a device that acts as a bridge between incompatible things. Think of a travel adaptor: you don't change your hairdryer to fit a foreign outlet; you use an adaptor to make the plug fit. It sits between different systems, matching their connections so they can function together.
Although typically a physical object—like a dongle for headphones, a connector for a cable, or a fitting in plumbing—the term is also used more broadly. In software, an adaptor is a small layer of code that lets one program work with another by presenting the expected interface. The key is that the adaptor enables a connection where one wouldn't otherwise exist.
An adaptor is a device, component, or piece of software that enables compatibility between things that don't naturally fit or communicate. It bridges differences so two systems can work together. While the verb adapt describes changing to fit a situation, the noun adaptor is often an external tool that makes a connection possible without the original items needing to be redesigned.
The most common image is the travel adaptor—a small device you plug into a wall in another country so your plug can physically fit the socket (it may not change the voltage; that's a separate converter). However, adaptors take many forms: a headphone-jack adaptor links old audio gear to newer phones, a USB-C adaptor connects peripherals with different ports, and a lens adaptor lets a camera use a different mount.
Beyond physical objects, adaptor can describe a "wrapper" that reconciles mismatched expectations. In computer science, the Adapter Pattern lets incompatible interfaces collaborate. Ideally, an adaptor works quietly in the background—reformatting, translating, or rerouting connections so two different elements can interact smoothly, making the impossible possible.
Examples
- 1
Travel charging
I packed a travel adaptor so I could charge my phone in Japan.
- 2
Device connection
This microphone won't work with my laptop without an adaptor.
- 3
Socket compatibility
The kit comes with several adaptors, so it fits different types of sockets.
See also
Similar
- connector
- coupler
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- power adaptor
- plug adaptor
- USB adaptor
Word family
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- adaptornoun
Forms
- adaptorspluralnoun