adapter
adapter Lexical Profile
adapter Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A mechanical or electrical device used to connect two or more pieces of equipment that cannot otherwise be directly connected.
"She bought a universal travel adapter so she could plug her laptop into the European wall outlets."
A software component or structural design pattern that allows two incompatible interfaces or systems to work together.
"The engineering team wrote an adapter to allow the legacy billing database to communicate seamlessly with the new mobile application."
A person who alters or modifies a literary or dramatic work to suit a different medium or audience.
"The original novelist praised the adapter for successfully translating the complex plot into an engaging screenplay."
Word Nuance & Usage
Often confused with the spelling 'adaptor'; while both are widely used and generally interchangeable, 'adapter' is broadly preferred in American English, whereas 'adaptor' is somewhat more common in British English, especially when referring to mechanical devices.
• Rhymes for adapter
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in English from the verb 'adapt' (derived from the Latin 'adaptare', meaning 'to fit to') combined with the agent noun suffix '-er'.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.